Wizard Detective Saga: Part Three
by Paladinium
Summary: New powers, new adventure, new rivals, new allies ... And new love. Rated for complex emotions and somewhat violence HHr COMPLETED
1. A Memory

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other characters, J.K. Rowling does.

_**A.N.:**_ Say no more!! Part three is here. Sorry for the delay, though; but it worth it.

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A Memory

It was a calm night in Matsurumi village, the heavens glistened with stars and the meadows danced to sounds of the wind. It was this weather that Kojiro Tatsuya, the old seer and swordsmith, loved most. He took a deep breath catching the scenting the fresh grass of the meadows, before returning to his usual activity; polishing old swords. It was during this moment Fawkes chose to appear.

"Fawkes!" said Tatsuya in startle as he saw the regal bird appear out of his usual twirl of flame "Is everything alright? Something happened to Harry-kun?" Fawkes didn't sing as he often does, instead it extended its leg exposing a piece of parchment that was attaches to it.

"What's this?" the elder swordsmith said as he took off the piece of parchment, and found that it was a letter from Harry. He scanned the letter quickly and his eyes fell on the part concerning Hermione.

"It is as I predicted …" he muttered to himself, then gave Fawkes a pondering look for a second before commanding "Go, Fawkes"

The crimson bird sang in refusal at Tatsuya's astonishment and stood its ground "I said go!" but Fawkes refused to go, and nibbled the letter with its beak. Tatsuya didn't understand it at first, but then it came to him.

"So …" The old seer muttered "He wants you to return with the answer. Alas, the answer is more than mere words to be scribbled down" then he looked at the phoenix firmly "You have to wait for some time"

The brilliant bird sand in approval and went straight to its old perch. Tatsuya, on the other hand, picked up the old sword and addressed it casually, as if he was talking to a friend "Sorry Ichizawa, your polishing is postponed until further notice" then he eyed the horizon in concern "Right now, I have to look for a viable source on this troubling matter"

He returned the sword to its rack then looked at the parchment again. At first he regretted sealing the Ancient Library, but he shook his head 'No matter, I will satisfy myself with the scrolls at hand' he entered his study and gathered all his knowledge scrolls in one pile and pulled back his sleeves "Now, let's get busy"

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"I told you Mr. Sobenski; your neighbor is not what you're thinking of" said Hermione with apparent impatience.

"You're wrong, detective" replied the said person; who was a skinny middle-aged man, with a case of constant shakiness.

"Sorry to say it, but I'm not" she retorted "I tracked him constantly and he did not show any sign of suspiciousness"

"And did you think that a spy would walk around holding a sign that says 'I'm a spy, arrest me'?! Of course he concealed his motives" the paranoid man barked "I saw his cat spying on me once when I was about to leave my apartment; I took a quick glimpse of it hasting toward it's owner's apartment… There is nothing more suspicious"

"Mr. Sobenski …" Hermione said with utter determination "I'm afraid that this case is not of my expertise; I will refer you to a person who can help you"

She scribbled something down on a piece of paper before handing it to him. He took it half-heartedly and reached for his wallet, but she stopped him firmly "No need to pay me, Mr. Sobenski; this case wasn't solved, so payment is not required"

"Thank you, Detective Granger" he shook her hand graciously before leaving the office, and she sighed in relief "Finally, what an annoyance"

She leaned back on her chair deciding to use this moment of peace in resting her mind, and she intended to benefit from her training in Occlumancy as Harry taught her. It was a month after the events if Harry's last mission and the beginning of their training together, and she was getting the hang of it.

She closed her eyes and started the procedure, which prevented her from hearing the door opens. The intruder tiptoed unnoticed until her reached her, and neared his mouth to her ear "Knock, knock"

She gasped and turned around sharply slapping the intruder in process, and she looked upon a pair of green eyes.

"I deserve that ..." said the intruder, who was no other than Harry Potter.

"Harry …" Hermione said breathlessly "You shouldn't have sneaked up on me like that"

"It's good to see that our training together fruited such decent skills" the raven haired man said with a smile, then boasted comically "Am I a good tutor or what?"

"Harry Potter! You are such a foxy boy" Hermione blurted, then she gasped and clapped her hands on her mouth and redness crept to her face when she realized the bad choice of words. Harry laughed loudly.

"So, you think I'm foxy; why thank you" he remarked cheekily, and she blushed even more "Harry!!"

"Okay, okay" Harry backed off at her outburst "I just wanted to see how you are doing, and the only this I got is this heated welcome"

"Well, I'm not doing good" she said gloomily "I just shook off an annoying client"

He raised his eyebrows in query "The one I happen to bump in, I presume" she nodded, and he smiled at her "Well, that does not happen every day. Although, I have to say that he seemed a bit distraught; did you greet him properly?"

Hermione didn't like the meaning behind the question, but answered anyway "Well, his case was a bit complicated, so I recommended him a specialist"

"And who might this specialist be" he asked inquisitively, and she answered even more gloomily "A psychiatrist"

She explained everything to Harry, and how that man suspected a cat, and he couldn't help but laugh at the last statement "So, the big case you went on enthusiastically was nothing but a paranoia case"

Hermione said as she covered her face in shame "This is nothing to be laughed at Harry"

"Sorry for that, but I couldn't help it" said Harry as he tried to restrain himself from laughing even more "But to know that you fell for it …"

"How could I know that he was mental?!" she retorted angrily "I even refused to take money from him; it would be a cheap move"

"So, it's hard to know if you feel sorry for the man or his money" he retorted cheekily again, and she got infuriated "Harry Potter! If you threw another rude remark, I will-"

"I think that you are a bit tense, 'Mione" Harry cut her mid-sentence "So, how about letting off some steam in a training session?"

Hermione's eyes gleamed "Training, you say" she smiled mischievously "I'm more than glad to comply; at least your cheekiness shall be squared, Potter"

Harry smiled ambiguously "We'll see, Granger … We'll see"

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"Begin" Harry cried firmly, and Hermione rushed at him with a Bo staff at hand. She landed several fierce hits at him which he blocked rather easily; and in one of those blocks, he pushed her off-balance.

"Weak" he said indifferently causing steam to rush up her head. She got up and picked up her staff.

"So, you think you're tough, huh? I'll show you then; I've read a lot about Bo techniques" she said as she assumed another stance, and Harry did the same.

"Talk, talk; that's all what you've been doing until now" he said with the same provocative tone, then he smiled confidently "Show me …"

His words had the desired effect on her; she got flared up, and her attack became fiercer and less accurate. One of these hits landed over Harry's head, and he blocked it like all the others before; however, it's power caused him to stagger a bit. Hermione rejoiced and prepared to land another hit, but suddenly she felt herself dropping off-balance as a fierce hit sent her staff flying, and when she dropped down, she saw Harry grabbing her flying staff; the fight was concluded.

"I won, Granger … Again" Harry said in a funny formal way and she couldn't help but smile even though she's defeated.

"I give up …" she said "I should've known than to challenge the mighty Harry Potter"

"Everyone makes mistakes" he replied with a smile.

"But don't forget that I almost knocked you over" she retorted as she sat on the floor "Although I have to admit that your last counter was the winner"

"Your staff has two ends, why not using them both" he replied with the same smile as he handed her lost staff to her. She took her staff pondering at what he said for a second before extended her hand with a sweet smile on her face "Well then, would you help a young lady getting up?"

Harry took her hand and pulled her up. Then out of the blue, he felt himself losing balance for a sweeper kick she landed on his calves. And as soon as he fell, he saw her on top of him with her staff under his chin. He tried to retaliate with the weapon in hand, be she knocked it off his grasp with the other end of her weapon; and now the roles have reversed.

"I won this time, Potter" Hermione said in triumph, but Harry couldn't reply for he was utterly shocked.

"Okay, I admit my defeat" he finally said "Could you … I mean – Ahem" he looked down at his abdomen with a meaningful look, and when she looked down she understood what he meant; she was sitting on him.

"Oh, God …" she got up quickly with her face turning crimson red "I'm sorry, I mean- I didn't-, I wouldn't … I'm terribly sorry"

"I think _this_ concludes our training for the day" Harry retorted with awkwardness "I will make quick meal for us"

He left in haste as if he was trying to escape this awkward scene himself, leaving the embarrassed Hermione all by herself. She cursing for her clumsy move and went to her room deciding to take a bath.

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With the bath full, Hermione stepped in and sighed deeply when the warm water touched her skin. Since their last mission, Harry and Hermione exchanged flat keys and lived together as best friends, with each on of them sleeping over the other's place whenever he or she wanted, but not 'sleeping together' as Ron have implied; although the idea appealed her, but neither she nor Harry dared to make the first move.

She finished her bath and put on her bathrobe, then looked for something to wear, and decided on a white shirt and a pair of jeans. When she finished drying her hair, she heard knocking on the door.

"Hermione …" Harry's voice came from outside "Lunch is ready, but I'm gonna take a quick shower, though; so wait for me, okay?" she heard his footsteps fading away, then got off her bed, and want to check on the lunch. Frankly, it was not a simple lunch, but a full dinner; green salad, soup, steak, and peas were served neatly in plates.

"Sweat …" she said when she saw the delicious meal, and wanted to taste some, but refrained herself in the last moment when she remembered Harry's request.

_'If I waited any more, I'll eat up the whole bloody table. I better look for a way to busy myself until Harry finishes his shower'_ she thought to herself as she stepped out of the dining room, and the first place came to her mind was books. But where is the bookshelf? She presumed that Harry is not fan of boring newspapers and senseless magazines, but she was disappointed when she found it was the one thing she can eye on the shelves.

When she was about to give up hope and be contented with these magazines, she saw it; gray, sturdy with peculiar marking, it was a door that was barely hidden beside the shelf, a door that she never saw before. She opened the door and stepped into the unknown room behind, and what she saw in that room made her rejoice.

It was a small study that even with the light so dim, she still can recognizes what's in it; a full bookcase, a simple yet elegant desk, and a perch. Anyone would consider the perch as an out of place item, but she knew it is not, for its bird is very important.

_'Fawkes …'_ she thought to herself _'It has been a long time since I saw it, where did it go?'_ she didn't ponder in this matter for more than a minute, then she threw it aside and checked Harry's desk. It was an old and simple desk, yet it retained some kind of elegance she couldn't pinpoint. On top of it, there was an odd mixture of pens and quills; it would be normal for a wizard to see, but a muggle like her does not see a quill everyday.

_'I feel I'm back to Shakespeare's days'_ she said touching one of the quills, then she shook her head violently "No time for that; what I truly need now are books, books, books …" she said eyeing the bookcase hungrily before picking the first book.

When she pulled out the book, she already had a pre-made a picture in her mind of Harry's taste in books, being General and all; but she didn't expect them to be that complicated.

'Wizard Total war: History of Wizard Wars' 'Death Trackers: Wizard Anti-Terrorism Force' 'Elemental Magic: Know Your Element' 'Sun Tsu: The Art of War'. These were some of the books she saw in the case; she was surprised to see a non-magical book like SunTsu's in his set, but then again, it was a book that cannot be turned down by a common general, let alone a leader like Harry.

_'A war machine'_ she thought gloomily _'That's what he said to me once; that's what he's turning himself into'_ she returned the book to its place, but when she pushed it in, she felt some resistance from an item placed inside its space. She removed the book and looked inside the hole, and she saw it.

Coverless and unidentifiable, a white booklet was placed deep inside the space. It was hard to notice if she hadn't felt it when she pushed the book in, and wondered why it was hidden this way, like it was intended to.

Out of curiosity, she pulled the booklet out and looked at the title, only to be hit with astonishment at what she read.

_**Close-Quarters Magic:**_

_**A New Era in Magic Duels**_

_**By:**_

_**Harry J. Potter**_

She couldn't believe what she saw; in fact, she thought that she read it wrongly due to the dim light, but she read it again and again; it was real.

"A book, Harry …" she muttered to herself "You plan to write a book! That's surprising" then added with a smile "Yet interesting …"

She leafed through the booklet but couldn't make any of it, for it was still a draft with many rough sketches that cannot be understood clearly in a good-lit room, let alone this room with dim lights; so she looked for the light switch around the room and found it, but before she turned it on, she looked outside and made sure that Harry was no there yet.

'I feel like a common thief' she thought to herself before turning on the light, not knowing that she hit the wrong switch, which was the trigger that changed her whole life.

Much to her surprise, the lights of the room didn't light up; instead, a single spotlight lit up revealing a showcase that was hidden in the darkest corner of the room and contained several items.

"Amazing …" Mesmerized by her new findings, Hermione approached the showcase, recognizing Harry's sword at the first sight. Some other items caught her attention even more, though.

Among these items was a tattered old book, a rather huge fang, a piece of wood, golden locket, a severed head of a snake, and a magic wand.

The items were incoherent, and had no connection whatsoever, at least in her opinion; but she couldn't deny that they caught her attention, especially the magic wand.

She looked closely at the book, and noticed that it was stained with ink and had a hole in the middle of it, which is almost the same size of the huge fang. With the ink stain she noticed on tip of the fang, she assumed that the book was damaged by piercing the fang into it.

However, this fang was not from the severed snake head, which was the most disgusting item in the showcase. She pondered on why Harry would place such a repulsive thing in a showcase, but the answer can only be obtained from Harry; and she cannot risk asking him about something she found during her sneaking in his secret study. She overlooked this matter and moved through the showcase again, the locket and the piece of wood didn't have anything unusual, except the phrase written on the wooden piece 'Nimbus 2000'; and she's already acquainted with the sword; so she passed them straight to the main even, the magic wand.

Since the spotlight was turned on, this very wand caught her attention; as if it had its own oomph. Harry's sword didn't do anything like that when she saw it the first time four months ago, not even Harry's wand; but this piece of wood was the contrary; and with its queer design, two serpents carved helically from the handle to the tip, its something can't go unnoticed.

Mesmerized by the wand, Hermione reached to it by hand; and as soon as she touched it, she felt as if someone spilled cold water on her, and felt herself twirling endlessly before she suddenly stopped. She opened her eyes only to be shocked beyond the shock itself.

She was no longer standing in the study; instead, she was in the middle of a blizzard in the middle of the night in the unknown, the strong winds whistled in her ears; oddly enough, the tempest itself had no effect on her.

_'What is this place'_ she thought to herself as she looked around hoping to find someone or something alive, but nothing was there; then suddenly she felt a tingle on the back of her head; a strong current was coming from behind. She turned around sharply and her eyes widened at the revelation.

A strong magic spell was coming at her direct; and with her current position plus her inexperience with such things she wouldn't be able to dodge it. She closed her eyes tightly in fear and waited for the spell to hit her, only to feel nothing. She opened her eyes and looked for any injury on her body and found nothing, then she heard the explosion coming from behind, she looked around again and saw that the spell hit someone else, so she rushed to see if she can help. When she approached the person, she saw that she was a woman.

_"Are you okay?"_ Hermione asked, and was surprised to hear herself sounding deep and echoing. However, the wounded woman didn't answer her, and began to cough blood in addition to the blood that oozed out of her injuries. She tried to help her or at least ease her pain, but she didn't have anything on her, so the only thing she could do is to rest her head on her legs. She reached for the woman's head which its hair was, oddly, dyed pink and left it up. But, to her surprise … Again, all what she did was to pass her hand through head.

"What the …?" he jolted back looking frightened at her own hands, before feeling another spell coming from front this time. She dodged instinctively, but it passed through her anyway, just like the previous time; then she heard a horrible slashing from behind, like someone was cutting through flesh; so the looked around one more time and saw a dead body of a person that was now there before, and saw his severed head near him.

"Tonks!!" she looked at the source of the voice, which was the same source of the latter magic spell, and she saw a man with a red hair coming toward her; she recognized him instantly.

_"Ron!!"_ she called happily for seeing a familiar face in this insane situation, but he didn't heed her; instead, her kneeled beside injured pink-head woman and looked at her in fear "Merlin … Tonks"

"Don't care about me …" the pink-head replied weakly between coughs "He missed my vitals, I will live. Go and help Harry, he's dueling You-Know-Who now"

"But …" Ron tried to argue, but a stern look from the pink-head prevented him from doing so.

"This is an order, auror" she said in a stern albeit weak tone "Your comrade needs you at the moment; my condition is the concern of the healers, not you"

Ron gave the injured woman a long look before getting up and muttering "Sorry …" then he left her toward a certain direction. Hermione, understanding her situation, went straight behind him.

_'So, this is nothing more than a memory'_ she thought to herself _'But … A memory inside a wand; how can it be?!'_

Her thoughts stopped the moment she saw Ron stops. He then approached a group of aurors who were standing in front of a huge dark-red force field.

"Auror Weasley, sir" a nearby auror addressed him formally "The death eaters are eliminated, sir"

"Where's Harry?" Ron asked in worry, and another auror pointed at the force field "Auror Potter and You-Know-Who are behind this force field"

"Then dispel it and push forward, dammit" Ron bellowed at then and was about to walk through the field, but was caught in the last moment by two aurors.

"Sir, don't!!" one of the aurors cried "This is not a normal force field; anyone tries to push through it gets shocked immediately; we tried that ourselves, sir"

"But … Merlin … Harry …" Ron stopped fighting and dropped to the ground in frustration.

_'Harry …'_ Hermione thought as she pushed through the force field unharmed; she knew from a past experience that, as a guest to this memory, nothing can harm her in any way. She climbed the hill hastily, and then she saw them.

Harry was at one side facing the ugliest being she's ever seen; she noticed that the ugly man was holding the same wand that brought her into this place.

_'Is this … You-Know-Who?'_ she thought to herself _'So, it was his wand'_ she looked at Harry _'Why do you keep such thing, Harry? Why do you keep such hideous memory?'_

Harry looked at the so-called You-Know-Who in determination and pointed his sword at him "Come, Voldemort; I've waited so long for moment to come"

"Are you this eager to die, Potter?" the said person spoke in a voice suited his terrible exterior "But you are still lacking"

Hermione looked at Harry, who looked the same for her; yet there was something missing. She didn't ponder for long as she saw a large shadow approaching him from behind.

'HARRY!!' She cried at the top of her voice although she no it was useless. Harry felt the presence behind him, anyway, and dodged the attack in the last moment.

"Nagini will do the job for me" Voldemort said in a mocking tone; and watched the ensuing battle between Harry and his pet with sheer amusement. Hermione, however, was utterly tensed; although she knew it was a memory that Harry has survived, but she couldn't help but to feel nervous.

After dodging the attack from Nagini, Harry holstered his wand and grasped the sword with both hands, which Hermione noticed that it was not the same sword he has in present. He waited for another attack from the giant reptile before attacking himself, and it was.

Nagini glided toward Harry at an unbelievable speed and leaped with a strong charge similar to the first one, but Harry dodged it again. Hermione noticed another thing; Harry did not use his ultra-fast reflexes; either he is too tired to use them, or he does not have them at that time.

She could not believe what she's doing at a time like that _'Noticing useless things … Girl, you are hopeless'_

That strong charge left Nagini vulnerable for attacks, and Harry did not waste such chance. He swung his sword swiftly, and it landed on the snake's neck. Much to Hermione's surprise, Nagini screamed a high-pitched scream that forced her to cover her ears; and she saw the huge twitch several times before it stop forever.

However, Harry's swing was too much for the attack; the sword kept descending due its momentum until it hit a rock on the ground and shattered instantly. Voldemort, who was infuriated by the death of his beloved pet, rejoiced at the destruction of the last remnant of Gryffindor's house.

"Alas, the last relic of Gryffindor was destroyed" the hideous man jeered "Such a waste in this time of need, eh?"

"The sword served its purpose" Harry said calmly, and Hermione looked at him and saw the sheer confidence in him; the Harry she knew "And you too … Tom"

"Don't you dare call me this name!!" Voldemort shouted at him while aiming his wand "I am Voldemort, the strongest sorcerer in the world"

Hermione fear rose again; Harry had his wand holstered during his fight with Nagini, and that Voldemort won't let him get it in any way possible.

"_Crucio_" Voldemort mouthed, and her fear doubled when she saw and heard the spell used by him; it was none other than the spell she hated most, the spell that harmed her father _'Harry!! Get away from it'_ she yelled in desperation although she knew that he can't hear her. But what Harry did caused her and Voldemort an utter astonishment.

The curse that Voldemort sent was stopped by a shield of light; Harry's own aura. Hermione felt relieved at the outcome while Voldemort couldn't hide his fury.

"An Aura, eh?" the snakeface muttered in hatred, hardly believing that one beside him and Dumbledore could achieve such feat "Most interesting" he said as his dark aura began to appear "But it won't stop the next one … _Avada Kedavra_"

The sickening green jet rushed toward Harry, whose aura began to fade. Hermione's heart fell as she imagined the upcoming scene _'Why turning off your strongest defense, Harry?'_ she thought _'This is madness'_

Harry smiled when he saw the green jet rushing toward him, and held up his palm in sheer confidence. The curse came in contact with his palm, and to everyone's surprise, he deflected it back to Voldemort.

Voldemort, who was for the first time in is life on the defensive, couldn't believe his eyes. Hermione, on the other hand, sighed in relief _'Harry, you show-off'_

Forced to a defeat, Voldemort began to shack in fury, and eyed Harry with sheer loathing "How could you …" Harry eyed him indifferently and answered calmly "You couldn't kill me once, you won't do it ever again; that was my motivation"

"No one should ever mock me!" Voldemort bellowed in madness "I am the strongest sorcerer in the world!"

"Old news …" Harry retorted indifferently "Let me show you the new age, Tom … _Fondus_"

Voldemort's eyes widened and tried to dodge the coming curse; but due to the fact that he didn't dodge any curse for a long time, his reflexes became slow. The curse hit the bull's eye, causing the snakeface to shriek in pain. Hermione saw his skin wavering and his fingers falling before he explodes in a big bang. Strangely, Hermione felt this last bang, and felt herself being pushed backwards and twirl in the newborn winds. Seconds after, she felt herself dropping to the ground; she was back to the study again, but this time with Harry standing at the door.

"Harry …" he said breathlessly, but Harry did not utter any word; instead, he eyed her with a glare that caused her body to shack in fear.

"Harry, I …" she tried to explain but he ushered her to stop, then she felt the wand and the booklet flying out of her hands into his, and she saw him putting the items in their respective places before heading to the door.

A pang of regret hit her heart when she saw his treatment, and she cursed herself for her killing curiosity _'Curiosity killed the cat; when will you learn that'_

"Come on …" she shivered when she heard Harry's indifferent voice "The food will get cold" he left the room after these words; leaving Hermione alone again. She sighed in frustration and muttered "Not only the food is cold"

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Amelia Bones paced across her office in immense concern; exchanging glances between the grandfather clock and the door. She kept pacing for several minutes until she heard the door opens and saw a bright-pink-haired woman coming in.

"Minister, I was informed that called for me" said the pink haired woman formally, and the minister beckoned her to be seated and assumed one herself "Have a seat, Director Tonks. You took longer than expected

"My apologies, madam; I had to supervise that raid personally; for it was-" Tonks tried to justify her situation, but was ushered to silence by Amelia "No worries, there is another matter I want to discuss with you, an important one" then she got up "But first …"

She walked toward the office entrance and spoke to her secretary outside "Carrie, I'm in a private Tonks; no body is allowed to enter during this meeting"

"Yes, Minister" the stern secretary replied, and Amelia returned to her seat "Now, we can speak freely. Do you remember asking me for a replacement director of the Law Enforcement department?"

"Yes …" replied Tonks with a hint of hop, and the minister pulled out a sealed envelope and handed it to her "Well, it appears that the search is over; the Council of Warlocks has already chosen one, and this particular person is a very bad choice, for us at least"

The pinkhead opened the envelope eagerly and eyed the written name on the letter before looking back at the minister in greater shock "Of all the people, they chose _him_!"

"The same thing came to me" said Amelia holding her hands in front of her "The problem is that the majority of the council voted for _him_"

"Everyone in the ministry knows that _he_ and Harry are on bad terms" retorted Tonks in annoyance; and Amelia nodded in approval "Yes, they know. But most of the council members _are_ on bad terms with Harry as will; don't forget that he defied them in more than one occasion, and proved to be more publicly influential that them"

"That's because he is, Madam" Tonks retorted firmly "They kept arguing and arguing while Voldemort increased his powers; only Harry was the one able to stop him before it's too late"

Amelia stopped talking for a minute, arranging her mind and fighting to prevent her body from flinching at the mention of the previously-forbidden name; then she spoke again with resolution "This is neither the time nor the place to discuss Harry's gifts and traits; we have to warn Auror Potter about these unexpected hardships"

"What do you want me to do?" the pinkhead asked in determination, and Amelia looked at her for a minute before answering "The council will announce him as the new Director within the upcoming weeks. Your mission is quite simple; I want you to warn Auror Potter so that he can think of a way to solve this problem, in addition to completing his main mission of capturing Flint" she smiled before continuing "You may help him reaching his objective, that if you really want it"

Tonks couldn't help but to rejoice at what she said; working under Harry's command is her life dream; no auror had ever been under the command of previous student, especially on as promising as Harry "Of course I want to" Tonks said in enthusiasm "Thank you Minister"

After thanking Amelia, Tonks went for the door, but was stopped by Amelia's call "And Tonks …" the minister said "Consider it a mission from the Order"

"Yes, Madam" Tonks saluted her superior and left the room; Amelia, on the other hand, picked up the council letter and sighed as she read it again "Of all the people, they chose _him_"

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Dinner went completely cold, or that's what Hermione thought. There was nothing with the food, though; but Harry's indifference was the major event.

_'Of course he would be mad, silly'_ she thought to herself _'Intruding one's privacy is a serious action'_

She didn't dare to voice her opinions, as Harry was still in indifference mode. However, she tried to lighten his mood as the first step to know the reason behind his uneasiness.

"Good meal" Hermione complimented him "I never knew you're a good cook" she swore she saw a hint of smile on his mouth, but refused the thought immediately; it might be her imagination. So, she carried on with her plan.

"I've never been a good cook myself" she said "One night I sneaked into the kitchen at home, and pretended to be one, but the result was burning half of the kitchen in addition to my both arms. Ever since, the kitchen became a taboo for me"

At this point, Harry couldn't keep his disinterested face for long; he began to chuckle at her statement before laughing loudly.

"See, you can keep being clod with me for long" Hermione said in victory; and Harry retorted while wiping a tear off his cheek "Sorry, I just can't imagine a person with no cooking skill at all, let alone a woman"

"Hey, I never said I'm failure" she replied in disapproval "It's just that me and kitchens don't mix will"

"And that's something unusual for women" Harry retorted with a smile before chuckling again, and Hermione huffed angrily "That is what I get from being friendly; I'm better off with books"

That last statement stopped Harry's laughing and reminded him of something "By the way …" she said "How did you enter the study?"

Hermione was taken aback by the unexpected question, but she answered anyway "It was open already, Harry; what's up with this strange question?"

Harry did not answer; instead he gave her strange looks. The door was open alright, but it was magically concealed.

"I thought you would ask about something more important" Hermione continued on talking and did not notice Harry's looks. He soon returned to his normal face and replied "Right, I must've forgotten to lock it"

"How unusual of you, Harry" she scolded funnily "I may expect this from Ron, but not you. If I was another person, I would've taken something precious"

"And what were you doing there in the first place?" Harry asked with an evil smile, and Hermione froze like a statue "You reminded me yourself"

Hermione felt like a fly caught in a spider, Harry was not someone to play with in interrogations; she witnessed that personally "Well, I was just looking for a book to read"

"And you mistook that wand for a book, right?" he said smiling more evilly, and she gulped soundly; it was an interrogation indeed.

"Also, that booklet was hidden for a reason" he added, and she sighed in surrender "Okay, I give up. I was getting bored at waiting for you and tried to pass time with reading. With no books in your bookshelf outside, I tried to look for another shelf; it was then when I found the door to your secret study, and you know the rest"

Harry listened carefully to her, and his face reacted to the events; then he spoke "That does not explain the wand I saw in your hand"

"As for that one, I turned the spotlight of your showcase accidentally, and was astonished with my finding" she answered "And don't blame my for the memory I saw"

"What memory?" Harry said abruptly, and she flinched at the way of questioning _'He does not know about the memory'_ she thought _'No need to concern him, then'_

"It's just that locket reminded me of one that belonged to my cousin" she answered while burying her face in her juice. Harry did not buy it, though; but didn't push the matter.

"Now it's your turn, mister" Hermione said in a funny stern way "What was that booklet about? I didn't have time to read anything but its title"

"None of your business" Harry said coolly while sipping his juice, and she got infuriated "None of my business, you say; then how about I go there and read it myself. You plan to write a book behind my back!"

Harry smiled at her fury, and saw no harm in answering her question "Okay, I'll talk just to relieve my poor ears from further trouble. I'm planning to write a book on a brand new style of magic …"

"Yes, yes; I know" Hermione interrupted "Close-Quarter Magic, you called it. But I haven't heard of it when Ron explained magic to me; he spoke of spells, curses, jinxes, etcetera, etcetera … But not that type of magic"

"You know it pretty well …" Harry retorted vaguely "You remember my shockwave"

Hermione's eyes widened "You mean … It is the same!"

"And the aero-slash; and the flaming arrow …" he replied "I've got dozens of new magic spells that I want to share with the magical population"

_"Magnificent'_ Hermione thought breathlessly and smiled to herself; Harry didn't know the reason of that smile.

"May I know what's funny?" he asked indifferently, and her smile widened "Nothing, I just thought to my self; aren't you the perfect chap?"

Harry choked in his juice and his cheeks reddened at the compliment; Hermione giggled at the reaction "I haven't said something wrong"

"It's not that …" Harry retorted "It's just that no body ever complimented me on my achievements; as if they were expecting my to do everything"

"No body is perfect" she said firmly; then smiled again "Except, maybe, you. Tell me, is there something you can't do?"

'Getting you is one …' Harry thought to himself, but didn't dare to voice his thought; instead, he buried his face in his plate and muttered "You said it yourself; no body is perfect"

Hermione felt the change of winds in this subject, so she just sipped her juice and never spoke of it again. The rest of the dinner went in silence; until Harry broke it "Yes, I forgot …" he said "We are invited to dinner at the McLadens"

"Really!!" said Hermione happily; it was long since she saw her friend and former partner "When did pierce called you?"

"Actually, it was Ginny" Harry said while smiling; and Hermione's face changed "I met her on the street just before I came to you in the office; and she invited both of us"

Hermione didn't smile; in fact, she felt a pang of jealousy hitting her that almost surfaced on her face. Ron has told her of Ginny's old crush on Harry; and with that she thought of her as a rival, even when she got married to Pierce, she is still her rival.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Harry said when he felt her uneasiness; fortunately for her, he didn't associate between it and Ginny's invitation. With his call, Hermione snapped out of her dark thoughts "Yes, I'm alright"

"Really, you looked spaced out to me" her stated in concern, but Hermione smiled at him "I was just thinking; if there is a party tonight; then a girl needs to get ready"

"You don't mean …" Harry said with a hint of panic, and Hermione smiled mischievously "Yes, it's shopping time"

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Two hours passed since they've been shopping. For Harry, it was two hours of hell; all his life he hated shopping, and the times when Lavender or Parvati used to ask him to go shopping were the worst. But know he is in a whole different situation; he is with Hermione, now; and she seems to enjoy it.

The other thing that kept him feeling uncomfortable is watching Hermione trying on; this is a side of Hermione he never saw before, 'Girlie Side' he might call it. He kept his interaction with Hermione at the minimum friendship zone, but this time it is too much for him to take.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione's voice pulled him out of his thoughts; he looked at her blankly for a second before answering "Yes, I'm okay"

"I'm finished, if you want us to go …" she said "Although you haven't chosen any clothes yet"

"Don't worry about me, I have enough at home" he said then ushered her "So, shall we?"

"If you say so …" she retorted and then both went for the cashier, the woman at the cashier did her job and said "126 $ please …" Hermione reached for her wallet, but was stopped midway by Harry.

"Harry …" she said in annoyance "Not again"

"I told you before; any price higher than eighty is my treat" replied Harry while pulling out his credit card "Besides, I want to lighten the encumbered account of mine"

"In your dreams, Potter" Hermione retorted funnily, and they both laughed. The cashier finished her job and handed their things to them.

"There you are …" the cashier said while handing the bag to Hermione "You are lucky to have such a generous boyfriend; I wish I was that lucky"

The statement caused both of them to blush furiously "Actually, he's not my boyfriend …" Hermione said coyly "He's just a friend"

"Well, it's good to have such a generous 'just a friend', anyway" the cashier retorted "Enjoy it while it lasts"

"Thank you …" Hermione said hurriedly and rushed out of the shop with Harry lagging behind her. They soon reached home with no words uttered between them; that cashier's words sure made its effect on them.

Finally, when they entered Harry's flat, Hermione muttered "I'll go and get ready" then went to her room not waiting for an answer; while Harry looked at her trail for a minute before sighing feebly _'To think she hated it that much … Your dream will always be a dream, Potter'_.

_'I don't believe he didn't care about these words'_ Hermione, who sat on her bed, thought the same thing _'Of course he wouldn't; why would a celebrity like him care for a common girl like me'_ her thoughts got her angry of her weak self.

"That's it" she said firmly "From now on, we are just friends; I will not be the pitiful one" she picked up her new clothes harshly; and paused for a second pondering "But I have to give this a shot first"

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"Hermione, come on … It is time" Harry said for the umpteenth time, but got no answer from her; so he dropped on the sofa angrily muttering nonsense.

'Why do all women take that long dressing up?' he thought to himself; them his face reddened as an image of Hermione getting dressed up appeared in his head "That's enough" he said sharply slapping himself hard. The slap caused his head to twirl for a minute but he was pleased that the image disappeared.

"That's good" he muttered _'Never think of your friend like that; even if she was lovely and pretty and curvaceous and … AAH'_ he slapped himself again for his dirty thought, which caused a ringing in his ears that prevented him from hearing the door opens.

"I'm ready, Harry" he heard the voice of Hermione, and signed in relief "Finally, I was wondering if you have fallen as-" He couldn't complete his sentence, for an unusual sight stood before him; the most wonderful sight he's ever saw.

Wearing a light bluish-green satin skirt, with a matching blouse over a tank top; Hermione glanced at him with a slight blush on her face that adorned her light makeup. Her hair was no longer bushy; it was made into neat wavy locks. It was the first time he saw this side of Hermione; she looked so different, so … Feminine.

"What happened to your face, Harry?" she said in concern; and he touched the sore on his cheek "Nothing to worry about; a fly thought I was a lemon drop, so I had to slap it away" he blurted, causing Hermione to chuckle lightly.

He looked at her for a minute and thought of complimenting her "B-By the way" he said stuttering a bit "You look somewhat different"

That was all he could say; but she smiled anyway at his 'somewhat' compliment "Is different good … Or bad?"

"Well it's …" wonderful, magnificent "Nice …" the only word he could say "It's good to change once in a while"

Bad choice of words it was; but that's what Harry is; the ultimate success, and the ultimate failure. Hermione smiled weakly and he saw a hint of sadness in her eyes; she then stepped out of the flat and called for him "We'll be late …"

He cursed himself for his tactless statements; why couldn't he just say that she was beautiful? _'Is it that hard?'_ he thought to himself; but he didn't bother to answer his own thoughts as he went after her.

Their trip to the McLadens was without incidents; but during the trip, stole glances to Hermione and saw that the sad look was still there. He thought about making amends for his dumb compliment, but refrained from doing so in the last moment; he has done quite a disaster until now; so, no need to turn it into a catastrophe.

Thirty minutes later, they were standing on the doorsteps of the McLaden. Harry rang the bell, then the door opened and a familiar face looked upon them.

"Howdy ex-partner …" the gray-eyed, dark-haired police detective greeted Hermione; who jumped up his neck.

"Pierce! It's good to see you live and well" Hermione hugged him fiercely, which did not impress Harry at all; in fact, he was surprised at his jealousy.

_'You are in no position to get jealous, you dope; not after the disaster you almost caused'_ Harry thought to himself assuming a mask of joy as he shock Pierce's hand.

"Well, if it ain't the super duper Harry Potter" Pierce greeted him with his usual sense of humor; which Harry returned appreciatively "You still seem to retain the smart mouth of yours, Pierce"

"And you seem to be affected by your life in the US; your fancy England manner is almost pointing to empty" Pierce knocked the joke back.

"Maybe I need a refill, then" Harry retorted, and the two men laughed, before Pierce commented "Well, if we keep this game up, we won't finish until midnight … Come in"

Harry nodded in agreement as he ushered Hermione to enter; although he couldn't help but to be surprised at his eloquence. If he was that good, why couldn't he say something better to Hermione? Dismissing the thoughts out of his head; Harry followed Pierce and Hermione inside; where he saw Ginny waiting for them.

"Harry!" Ginny called hugging him in brotherly manner "O, I missed you so much"

"Me too, little sis" Harry said funnily "Sorry, I forgot to bring some chocolate with me"

Ginny giggled at his witty remark, which Hermione didn't appreciate that much, nor his close contact with her self-deemed rival; but she did not dare to voice her opinions. The moment after, she and Harry thought they saw a little devil entering the room; however, they recognized this little devil on the first sight; it was Sherry, daughter of Pierce and Lydia McLaden; Pierce's diseased wife, and the adoptive daughter of Ginny Weasley-now-McLaden. She is now a hyperactive-over-a-year-old toddler who has the tendency to topple over everything with her new walking experience.

"Here you are sugarplum; come and say hello to Uncle Harry and Aunt Hermione" Ginny picked up her adoptive daughter and handed her to Hermione, but the little girl cowered at the sight of the newcomers and clung to her mother.

"Sorry about that …" Ginny apologized to them "She's not used to strangers"

"Don't worry about that" Hermione said in a friendly manner and gave the little angel a kiss on the cheek; however, Pierce interrupted them with one of his cool jests "I hate to interrupt this happy reunion, but my stomach aches me. How about we skip the warm grouping and go for the dinner?"

The trio laughed at his joke and Ginny remarked "Typical Pierce, always thinking about his stomach. Dinner is ready, anyway … Come in everyone"

Ginny led them to the dining room, where they found the diner placed neatly. It consisted of different dishes typical to an American family, with some of them being pure English; Ginny had her touch in the house, after all. When everyone was seated, they said their grace before beginning; everything went as tranquil as they hoped, except for Pierces jokes, of course.

After dinner, Sherry was completely drowsy, so Ginny took her to her room before cleaning the table, and Hermione volunteered to help; leaving the men alone in the living room, which suited Harry very well.

"Well then …" Harry said aiming to begin a conversation "I assume that you don't plan to have a brother or sister for Sherry in the near future"

"Nah, it would be too hard on Ginny to manage two toddlers at the same time, and she wanted to finish her concern with that medical fellowship of hers before she can have any more children" Pierce answered fully, before leaning forward at Harry with a sly "How about you, Harry … And Hermione"

Harry was dumbfounded at the straight question; he busied himself with his cup of tea as he stuttered "W-What do you mean by that? Hermione and I are just friends and partners"

"Don't play around, Potter; I saw how she looked at you before, and I saw how she looks at you now, this girl has a massive crush on ya', if she wasn't already in love"

"I-In love?!" the awestruck Harry said, and Pierce nodded heavily "Yes, in love. If you haven't noticed, she was glancing at you the whole dinner; and these pretty clothes she is wearing, she wore it for you; for you, Harry"

"But why me?" Harry retorted sharply "What's the special in me?"

Pierce leaned back in his chair sighing deeply "It might sound sad, but you remind her of _him_"

"Who?" Harry asked curiously, and Pierce answered "Her former partner and ex-boyfriend; Joseph Crane"

"I haven't heard of him before; she that open with me, if you know what I mean" Harry said.

"That is because this particular memory is not the type we share with anybody" replied Pierce, reminiscing the painful past "Joseph was Hermione's former partner; and the first one she met when she first came to the states. He was like you; young, brave and determined; not to mention he was gentle and caring. When she first arrived, he was working on the Cartel case you know; she helped him in it, using both her smartness and wittiness; which helped in bringing them closer together. From that moment, we knew that they will hook up sooner or later"

Pierce silenced for a minute, but Harry urged him to go on "And what happened?"

"A year before you arrive at the states, Joseph was to infiltrate the Cartel's lower gangs; working his way up until he can reach their Kingpin, Muerte, and finish him once and for all. But an insider, which you exposed as the police captain Maronski, leaked this information to Muerte, causing the uncover of Joseph's true identity and, eventually, his death"

Harry scowled at the revelation, and Pierce continued "After that incident, Hermione shut herself off and, emotionally, lived away from everyone, she vowed to herself that she will bring Muerte down, and there you arrived"

Pierce pointed at him "A mysterious man who just bashed into her life. You reminded her of the dead Joseph; both young, both brave, both determined, and both are aiming for the same goal; the destruction of a strong gang of mobsters. For her, you were a gift from heavens. That's way she helped you; that's way she believed in you"

Pierce then pointed a warning finger at Harry "And that's way I'm warning you; if you ever hurt her, physically or emotionally; it will be your head on the line, Potter"

Harry took a minute to understand the meaning behind the story, before smiling confidently at Pierce "Don't concern yourself with that …" Harry said "Because I won't hurt her … Ever"

Pierce smiled at him, and didn't comment; his message reached the raven-haired man fully.

---------------------------------------

"So, since when you've been together?" Ginny threw the question bluntly, and Hermione's towel dropped off her hands.

"What do you mean?" the brown-haired inquired, and Ginny rolled her eyes in boredom "Don't play games with me, Hermione; You and Harry; when did you start dating?"

"We did not" Hermione said fiercely "And why do you ask such rude questions?"

Ginny didn't answer; instead, she continued drying the dishes for some time before blurting again "You already know that Harry was my previous crush"

Hermione felt pang of jealousy hit her heart "Yes …" she replied icily; and "Well, I dare to say that I know him better than anyone around her; except for Ro, of course"

"Get to the point, please" Hermione said coldly; and Ginny smiled slyly and asked again "You do fancy him, don't you?"

"Well, he seems to be oblivious to that fact" Hermione said with the same coldness; and Ginny's smile widened at the revelation, and she hugged the other woman strongly.

"I knew it … Oh, I so happy for you, Harry" Ginny said while hugging the Hermione, and the latter looked at her in confusion "What's the meaning of this?"

Ginny sat down with her, and began to explain "First, I have to ask you; do you know why Harry is famous in our world?"

Hermione pondered for a minute before answering "Well, he is a war hero; and the one who saved you from that Voldemort"

Ginny shock her head negatively "That's not it, it is because he lived, while the others died" Hermione looked at her in confusion, and she explained "You remember Ron's tale about him; well, it is only part of the truth; everyone around Harry died either instantly or painfully; his parents, his godfather, his mentor, and his close friends; but what pained him more is that he lived"

Hermione was shocked at the latter information "But why?!" she asked "Why does that pain him? It was good fortune"

Ginny shock her head "This shows that you don't know Harry well; he is pained because the people began to look at him as a scourge, an ill-fate. Whenever someone is close to him dies definitely"

"But that's not his fault" Hermione objected, and Ginny smiled sadly "People believe what they want to believe; but that's not all. Oddly enough, they also looked at him as a symbol of life; he did not die even when he was ambushed by Voldemort several times. For them, he was immortal"

Ginny stopped for a minute regaining her composure; reminiscing that terrible past did take its toll from her emotions; then she spoke again "He then enlisted into the law enforcement, and volunteered for the high-risk missions; all that is because he wants to prove something" she looked at her firmly "He wants to prove that he can die"

Hermione couldn't believe her ears, and Ginny kept on speaking "And that's where she enters; a simple muggle girl who does not know about his current status, and seems to like him a bit. He also seemed to develop a sort of liking to her … This girl is you Hermione"

Hermione looked at the ceiling for a minute before muttering "You know, I always asked myself this question; why me?" she looked at Ginny "Naturally, I couldn't ask him, so I ask you …" she looked at her tiredly "Why me?"

"It is because how you treat him, Hermione" Ginny answered "Not the legendary Harry Potter, but Harry Potter, the man, and the friend"

"That does not mean I don't see him as a legend" Hermione retorted while rocking her chair "It's just he is more legendary for me by his traits alone; gentle, caring, and a lovely friend to live with"

Ginny smiled at her "It's the same way he looks at you; you are the friend he never had. Now, he knows that every time he returns from a mission, he has someone he can return to. He believes that you give him strength" Ginny looked at her straight in the eye "Hermione, he believes in you"

Hermione was dumbfounded at the last statement, and never believed what she heard. Ginny, however, got up her chair and resumed the dish washing "This is all what I can say, now; the rest is up to you, Hermione"

-------------------------------------------------

_'She believes in you'_

_'He believes in you'_

These words rang in Harry's and Hermione's heads respectively as they waved goodbye to the McLadens. No one of them knew what the other was thinking, and they didn't know they were thinking the same thing. Plus, seeing how happy the McLadens were touched both of them deeply; they both craved for a family, especially Harry who did not experience the joy of a family except with the Weasleys, who spared no effort in making him part of them. But in the end, they were not _his_ family, and certainly not his _blood_ family.

The trip home was as quiet as the first trip, if not more. But when they entered the flat, they both had the same resolve on their faces; it's now or never.

"Harry, I ..."

"Hermione, I …"

Both of them spoke at the same time, then cut of immediately. Harry incited her to talk "Yes, you talk first"

"No, you talk first" Hermione said as the initial courage began to leave her. Harry, however, hesitated a bit before speaking "Well, I forgot …"

"Me, too" Hermione blurted, finding it a good excuse; they stood silent for a minute staring at each other, before both of them speaking again "I …"

Unfortunately, it was this moment Fawkes chose to appear. His appearance was as loud as usual; causing both of them to flinch.

"Fawks!!" Harry was the first to speak; he held his hand for the regal bird which he nibbled in fondly.

_'Bad timing …'_

Both of them thought, and Harry noticed the piece of parchment hung at his leg "Is it …" Harry took the piece of and scanned it hastily, before smiling vaguely, causing Hermione to eye him in curiosity.

"What's in it, Harry?" she asked, not being able to hold herself anymore; and Harry smiled even more.

"Believe it or not …" he said "Sensei requested an immediate meeting" then he smiled widely "With both of us …"

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_**

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A/N:**_ Okay, that's it for chapter one; I hope you satisfy yourself with it for a while, because this time I will not update regularly; I will not repeat the same mistake and make a rash story. 

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease


	2. Meet the Master

_**Disclaimer:**_ Me not own Harry Potter, Rowling own Harry Potter; me hate Rowling.

_**A/N:**_ I hope you liked the previous chapter; and I hope you would like this one, too.

* * *

**Meet the Master**

In an unknown place in the United States, Elias Swift; Flint's right hand man and the death eaters' second in command, was walking across the main hall of the hideout holding the most unfamiliar thing a wizard can hold; a cell phone; and he was so immersed in the call that he won't notice a duel if it occurred near him. No one blamed him, though, for he was calling his family.

"Don't be ridiculous, sis; there's no way it would happen" Swift said with a slight chuckle and waited for a response before speaking again "I already told you, there is no reason to worry about me; I will be okay; o-k-a-y … Okay"

He listened to the reply before retorting himself "You are truly hopeless. Anyway, how is mum faring?" he asked in concern, but the answer relieved him "That's a good thing to hear" he replied "And tell her if that bloody fool tried to hurt either of you, he will hear from me first thing when I return; and I will make him taste him own medicine"

He listened for a minute before replying with a smile "Okay, I'll leave you to it, then; love ya' … Sis"

He ended the phone call with a long sigh; for two years, two long years, he hasn't seen his family. It wasn't without a reason, though; he worked so hard to gain the acknowledgement of his fellow death eaters and, most importantly, his Master Flint. However, this was a hard feat to achieve at first because a simple yet unforgivable fact; he was a half-blood.

His mother was a witch who fell in love with a young businessman named Morgan Swift. They got married after months of mutual passion, and this marriage fruited the young Elias Swift himself. However, his father never knew the real status of his mother; his hid it from as long as she could, but that accident ruined it all.

It was that day when Morgan went to check on his youngling. He saw something astonishing; toys were suspended in the middle of air. At first, he thought that toys were hanged to the ceiling with thin threads, but when he say his laughing son throwing another toy in the air, it was all clear to him; his son was doing it all.

Enraged by his new revelation, Morgan went to fetch his gun to eliminate this atrocity. While in his way to fetch it, Olivia, his wife, noticed his rage, and knew that something bad has happened. When she went to her son's room, she realized that her secret is no longer veiled.

She stood bravely in defense of her son, and revealed the whole truth about herself to her infuriated husband. However, her bravery was ill rewarded; he threw her out his house and life along with her son, claiming that he does not want to see her ever again. Now, homeless and penniless, she realized that she wasn't going to fight for her own life only, but her son's as well, and for the child growing within her.

Swift sighed deeply at the flow of memories; reminiscing the past, especially a grim one, is something no body would do it willingly; but for Swift, it was the fuel to his will and the hate he would harness to achieve his ultimate goal … Power; and with power he would make sure that his family won't need anyone anymore.

"Hey, Swift" a sudden call from one of the death eaters snapped him out of his thoughts "Day dreaming again?"

"What do you want?" Swift asked sourly, sensing the gibe behind the death eater's words, who in turn, answered indifferently "Master Flint wants you on the double; he's waiting in his study"

Swift was alerted by the statement; Flint never allowed anyone into his study, and his meals were put on the doorstep for him to take. This is the first time he's ever allowed anyone in, so it might be something important.

Swift looked at the death eater firmly and spoke in a matching tone "You've convoyed your message. Now, get lost"

The death eater complied with a low gabble that included a low-toned 'MudBlood' in it. Unfortunately for him, Swift heard the last part and requited with a hard kick on the chest that caused the death eater to drop gasping for air.

"You are lucky today, for I'm in a good mood" Swift stated coldly "Next time I hear you degrading me, it will be your head that drops first"

The death eater's face paled at the intimidation; he knew, as well as all his fellow death eaters, that Swift is always true to his word; and his sword is as sharp as his tongue.

Swift left the cowering death eater and proceeded to the study, where he saw Flint waiting for him. He was not alone, though, for another person was summoned; Blaise Zabini, the third strongest man in the brotherhood, and the death eaters' number one assassin after Nott's apprehension. More than that, he is Swift first competitor to the position of Flint's aide.

"Ah, Swift; you're a bit late" Flint greeted him and ushered him to seat. Swift assumed the seat and replied while his eyes fixed on Zabini "My apologies, Master; some trouble I encountered on the way"

"Still as troublesome as ever, eh … Swift?" Zabini jeered in his usual indifferent manner, and Swift felt the steam rushing up his head as he replied in aggressive tone "Well, the trouble I had will be nothing compared with what you will feel"

"I dare you to try, mudblood" Zabini retorted provocatively, and both wizards jumped off their seats flashing their wands.

"Enough!!" Flint cried at the top of his voice jumping off his seat himself and raising his silver hand "You are starting to annoy me with your rivalry hogwash; you are death eaters, for Merlin's sake, not some silly school wizards" Flint reseated and continued "Besides, you are wrong about him, Zabini; as much as mudbloods are fools, Swift is far from being one. His deeds are more of purebloods"

True, Swift might be a half-blood, but he was raised to hate muggles; and when he came of age, he paid his father a visit, and reminded him of what he called him; 'Abominable Beings' that's what he called him and his mother before throwing them to the streets. In that visit, however, the young Swift showed his father the true abomination, leaving him crippled for the rest of his life.

"Anyway …" Flint said gain the attention of both of them "I did not allow you here to watch you duel and ruin my study" he leaned backwards and continued "I summoned you here for a reason, an important one"

Both death eaters were fully alert by the time he reached this part of conversation, so he resumed with a smile on his face "A third chance has been granted to us" his smile widened as he continued "And this time … It is ready"

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"Sensei?! Who's sensei?" Hermione inquired while eying the letter in Harry's hand in curiosity. Harry, however, folded the letter and put it in his pocket as he answered "Sensei is my master, Hermione; the one who trained me in Kenjutsu"

"Ken-What?!" she said in confusion, and he sighed before explaining "Kenjutsu; it means the art of the sword. But there is no time to explain; we have to go now"

He was about to go to his room before being stopped by Hermione "Wait just a moment, there" she said "No body is going anywhere until all is clear to me" she looked at him firmly before continuing "Besides, how did he know about me in the first place?"

"The answer is extremely straightforward …" Harry retorted calmly "Simply, I told him"

Hermione was shocked at his indifferent confession at first; then she got infuriated as she exclaimed "Harry Potter!! How dare you speak of me behind my back!!"

Harry did cringe because of her outburst; instead, he kept his calm smile up and retorted "It was for your own sake; and don't forget I got a reply from him including an invitation for both of us …"

"And you think I'll jump round cheerfully?!" Hermione interrupted "I'm sick of being kept in the dark; with people keep controlling my life as if I'm their puppet" she began to shake with anger as she proceeded "I did not expect to be like them, Harry. I'm just … Disappointed"

Harry's calm expressions did not change as he looked at her; he waved the letter in hand as he remarked "This is for your own good, Hermione"

"You don't know my own good …" she interrupted him again "I'm not going; and this is final" she then turned around and made her way to her room.

"He says that he knows the answer to your dream" Harry said suddenly, causing the angered Hermione to stop immediately. She turned around looking at him in angst.

"W-What did you say?" she whispered slowly, and he repeated "I already told him about your recurring dream" he waved the letter again "And he says hear that he got the answer to it"

"Can he stop it?" she asked anxiously, and he looked at her for a minute knowing what she meant. For the last month, her dark dream kept recurring many times. He knows that because he can hear her crying at nights; he wished he can go into her room and hug her for the whole night, but simply he cannot do that, it would mean intruding her privacy, in addition to the complex emotions he has for her; and the latter would give him so easily, which is something he cannot allow.

"Can he, Harry?" she questioned again pulling him out of his thoughts he gave her a long look before answering "No, I don't think so …" her heart fell at his answer, but he smiled deeply as he completed "I believe so …"

"Honestly, Harry …" Hermione replied with a sigh of relief "Don't play with my nerves" Harry chuckled at her nervousness and retorted "I should get my payback somehow, shouldn't I?"

"You …" she said pointing an angry finger at him; she then stood with her hands on her waist and stated with a raised eyebrow "Well, under the recent circumstances, I think I will accept the invitation of your Sensei"

"We would be honored …" replied Harry with a funny formal bow before escaping smack on the head by Hermione "Don't make fun of me, Potter" she said, ending this originally-tensed conversation with laughs.

After a minute of laughing Harry was the first to speak "I'm sorry for being hasty, Hermione; but you need to pack up now if we are to reach the village early"

"Well, it will take some time for us to reach it, you know; we did not book any flight" she retorted, and he smiled at her "Leave this to me" he said. Hermione nodded to him in full trust and went to pack up her belongings.

"And Hermione" Harry's voice made her stop and turn toward him, then she saw him continuing with a smile "Pack heavy …"

She genuinely smiled in return before leaving for her room. However, as soon as she left, Harry's face turned from joy to concern, and he pulled back his Sensei's letter and gave it another look albeit worried one this time.

_**Dear Harry-kun,**_

_I __have received your letter, and to be honest I am shocked and unsurprised at the same time; unsurprised because I already predicted this event to take place, and socked because I saw that it occurred to a muggle. We are lucky, though, for her to be the one, because she will prove vital in your prophecy. However, being a muggle will make it difficult for her to bear such dreams; she might even go further to harm herself._

_To prevent such tragedy, I have only one thing in mind to do, but not before seeing her in person; thus, I invite both of you to my place in Matsurumi village. Make sure to inform her of this invitation and its purpose, and prepare yourselves for a long cold stay._

_I'm looking forward to see you in the village as soon as possible._

_**Yours Faithfully**_

_**Tatsuya Kojiro**_

After reading the litter for the third time, Harry couldn't help but to release a long troubled sigh. He was already occupied with the face that he was involved in another cursed prophecy, but this recent twist of fate revealed that not only he was involved, his closest friend; Hermione, is also involved, which would complicate things even more.

Another sigh emitted from his mouth "What a troublesome way to live …" he said before leaving for his room.

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It took Harry fifteen minutes only to prepare his belongings, but for Hermione … Well, she was entering her second hour. She's a woman, after all.

"What the bloody is she doing in there?! Researching?!" he muttered impatiently pacing back and forth in front of her room. Soon, the door opened, and Harry sighed in relief "Finally …" The second after, a large trunk came rolled; he saw it coming at his direction and dodge it in the last second.

"Good heavens!!" an exclamation came out of his mouth as he dodged the trunk; then he glanced back at the door in irritation and saw Hermione coming out carrying smaller bag.

"Hermione!! What on earth- … What are you- …" Harry stammered in shock before regaining his composure and pointing at the trunk and asking sharply "What are you doing?!"

Hermione glanced coolly before answering "Well, you did not tell me how long we are going to stay at your trainer's home, so I packed for a week" she waved her hand indifferently before continuing "These are only the necessities, though; I have to go shopping as soon as we reach Japan"

"Necessities …" said Harry twitching an eyebrow "Women …" he muttered before shrinking the trunk and shoving it into his pocket.

"We have to go now or we won't catch up with the night flight" he said "And let's hope we don't pay for extra weight"

Hermione angrily muttered in low tone, then extended her hand to him "I want my ticket"

"What?" Harry asked in confusion, and she replied impatiently "My flight ticket; I want it"

Harry looked at her wondering for a minute before retorting "I don't have any tickets" Hermione looked at him blankly before bursting in anger "HARRY YOU DOLT!! YOU FORGOT TO BOOK A FLIGHT!!"

"Whoa! No need to yell, 'Mione …" Harry backed at her outburst "Besides, I never said we would fly to Japan"

"Liar!!" she burst out again "You said we would catch up with the night flight; you forgot you mentioned the word FLIGHT!!" she shock her head in angry disapproval "Men … Always unreliable; I should've arranged everything myself" suddenly, a slight chuckle came out if Harry, and she snapped at him "What the bloody are you laughing at, Potter?"

"My dear Hermione, you always forget that I'm a wizard" he retorted calmly, then glanced at her with his bright green eyes "Flight does not necessarily means your flights; we will do it the wizard way"

Hermione's anger faded, and was replaced instead with astonishment "You mean … You have wizard planes or something?!"

"Not exactly" he replied and smiled cheekily "But why bother to explain while you can see it yourself. Let's keep it a surprise, shall we?"

Hermione pouted at his sly remark and tightened her grip. Normally, she would argue with him and do the things the way she wants, but on the inside she cannot turn down an offer to experience something new. so, she suddenly she hasted toward the front door "Come on …" she said in excitement "I cannot wait any longer" Harry smiled at her enthusiasm.

"Fawkes …" Harry summoned the regal phoenix that appeared out of fire as usual; then he unbuckled his sword and pushed it toward it "Take it to Sensei …"

The fiery bird sang tenderly before disappearing into fire. Hermione looked at him with a smile "You don't seem to be worried about the safety of our journey" Harry smiled back before replying "It is safe; trust me. Now, shall we?" he ushered her toward the door, and they both left the apartment.

On the way to their destination, Hermione never stopped wondering about the method of their travel. Her guesses were ranging from flying dragons to magic portals, and Harry never agreed to ease her raging mind.

Half an hour later, they were at the entrance of Brimstone Alley with Hermione shaking in enthusiasm. The wall dislodged showing the ever-busy alley, the most exciting place for Hermione.

"So …" she spoke "We are at Brimstone Alley again; something you forgot to collect?"

"Actually, our surprise is here" Harry replied, causing Hermione's eyes to widen in astonishment "Impossible, I know this alley by heart … Stone by stone"

"Not all the stones, I'm afraid" Harry retorted, and pushed through the crowd with Hermione behind him, not removing the astonished look from her eyes. However, after minutes of walking, she began to get weary and started to look around the alley. It was then when she noticed some new constructions taking place.

"Harry, what is this new place?" she asked him pointing at the construction site, and he looked at the place she pointed at shaking his head "Don't know; but we will know when it opens"

After several minutes of walking, they came upon a solid wall with no distinctive marks. Hermione looked at Harry in puzzlement, and he answered her unspoken questions "It is sealed concealed thoroughly so that no underage wizard can open it"

"I see. But enough talk, please, I cannot wait any longer" Hermione said in unveiled enthusiasm, and he smiled at her as he pulled out his wand and clicked several bricks "Welcome, to the International Apparition Zone"

Hermione did not speak; in fact, she couldn't, the place was unimaginable even in her wildest dreams. At first, it looked like an airport, with customs offices, gates, and all, but she noticed that something was missing; there were no glass windows in the entire zone, and she did not hear any jet planes.

"Interesting, isn't it?" Harry said with a smile, and Hermione replied "Marvelous …" she said it almost in a whisper, fearing that she might wake up from this wonderful dream "But Harry …" she turned to him in wonder "I don't hear any planes at all"

"Because there are none …" he answered while looking at a screen displaying a list of trips "We will travel by apparition, by teleport" he then smiled and pointed at a certain statement "And that's where we should apparate from" the statement was 'Gate 42 Okinawa, Japan'.

They made their way toward the said gate until they stopped by the customs auror desk, which was occupied by a young blonde female auror; and she was totally busy performing something using, to Hermione's surprise, a computer.

"Wands, please …" the customs auror requested not removing her eyes from the screen; when she didn't receive and answer, she pulled eyes off the screen onto the standing travelers, only to be welcomed by the sight of Harry.

"Blessed warlocks!! It's Harry Potter!!" the auror exclaimed in amazement attracting the attention of the nearby. Hermione felt Harry's uneasiness toward this unwanted attention, she gave him a gentle squeeze on his arm as a kind of support "Don't let them bother you" she said softly "It's the price of fame"

"I didn't ask to be famous in the first place" Harry retorted with a hint of irritation "But you are right; I will not let them affect my life" he regained his composure quickly and addressed the awestruck auror in a formally manner "I require an instant apparition to Japan"

"Right away, sir" the auror said as she returned to her seat and began to search for an available trip, and she found it "Yes, there is one; starting thirty minutes from now"

"Splendid …" He said smiling "Book for two, please"

"First, I need to perform a wand check for an ID, sir" the auror stated, extending her hand toward him. He complied with the request and handed her his wand. Performing a swift wave, the auror touch Harry's wand with hers, and the former wand began to glow in blue.

"Here you are, sir" she handed the wand back to him before looking at Hermione in suspicion "And … You"

"She's not a witch" Harry answered her suspicion quickly, and the auror's eyes widened in surprise "That is unfortunate" the auror muttered, before stating formally "I'm afraid I cannot allow her to pass, sir"

"Why not, I can perform a side-on apparition to teleport us both" Harry protested irritably, but the blonde auror shock her head in disapproval "I'm sorry, sir; but the new regulation cannot allow it, especially with all those death eaters on the loose" she leaned forward and continued "However, exceptions can be made for high officials; but only the director of the IAZ security can approve it"

"Then do it …" Harry commanded "I will meet the director personally" the auror nodded and summoned a colleague, who escorted Harry and Hermione to the director's office. When they entered the office, they were greeted by a middle-aged, able bodied man.

"Mister Potter … I heard you were gracing our premises and didn't believe it. I'm Director Smith, and I welcome you to Los Angeles IAZ" the director greeted him warmly and ushered him and Hermione a seat.

"Your warm reception allures me to request greedily, director" Harry retorted, and the director nodded in understanding "Yes, I know of your little problem; but unfortunately, I cannot do anything about it. You see, after your last mission with the death eaters and the muggle gang; security has been tighten to prevent any more offshore illegal immigration, which placed bounds on muggle side on apparition"

"But that customs auror said there might be some exceptions for high ranked officials" Harry replied in annoyance, and Smith nodded "Yes, there are. But they are only for the highest of the high ranks. Which means that Senior Aurors are not included if that was what came to your mind; sorry, Mr. Potter"

"Perhaps you need an update, then" Harry said with a sly smile on his face and pulled out his auror badge and handed it to the director. As soon as the director opened the badge, he gasped in surprise when he saw the shining platinum surface with six glittering stars twirling around the surface.

"This-This is …" Smith stuttered trying to find the word, and Harry smiled "The Grand Auror badge" he completed the statement of the dumbfounded director. Hermione looked amazed the effect of the badge on the security director, she never thought it would be that much.

_'Is it that rare to meet a high-ranked auror?'_ she wondered, and Smith answered her unspoken question "This means- means that you are …" he looked at the smiling Harry in shock before resuming "The third Grand Auror …"

"And the youngest one to boot …" Harry commented, then leaned forward "And I can safely assumed that it is the highest of the high ranks"

"Certainly …" the director of security replied in enthusiasm "Which means that there is an exception to be made" he scribbled something on a parchment before looking at Hermione "What is your name again, miss?"

"Hermione Granger …" Hermione answered, and he resumed writing, then handed the parchment to Harry along with his auror badge "This is a temporary international visa for Miss Granger that would allow her to participate in a side-on apparition as long as she is with you; and only with you" he said emphasizing the last words then asked Harry "May I ask where are you going to, sir?"

"Japan …" the raven haired answered, and Smith nodded "We will inform the Japanese customs of the temporary visa"

"Very well, then if you excuse us, we have a flight to catch" Harry said getting up and extending a hand to Smith "Thank you for your help, Director" the security director accepted his hand in appreciation "Not at all"

He left the office with the stunned Hermione behind him "Well, I did not expect it to be that easy" she said "Looks like fame has its own benefits, after all" Harry smiled at her without saying a word.

They returned to the customs desk where saw the same young auror who refused to pass them. She noticed them coming and left the work she was doing on the computer "I hope everything went smoothly, sir" the blonde auror said, and Harry smiled at her and handed her the signed paper. She took the paper and glanced over it indifferently. However, when she reached the rank status, her eyes widened in shock and looked at Harry in disbelief before returning the paper to him.

"I-I see …" she stammered, then handed him a certain form "F-Fill this, please" Harry took the form calmly and began to fill it, and Hermione noticed the awe look the young auror gave him. After Harry finished filling the form, he handed it back to the auror who scanned it quickly before putting it aside.

"Do you carry any baggage?" the auror suddenly asked, reminding Harry of the contents of his pocket "Yes …" he answered pulling out the miniature trunk and handing it to her. The young customs auror went to a nearby scale and out the trunk on it before enlarging it, then returned to her desk.

"You may proceed to Gate 42; leave the trunk for us to transfer" the auror stated, and Harry nodded in approval and thanked the auror before moving toward the said gate with Hermione beside him. After a short walk through the gate corridor, they found themselves in a dome-shaped hall.

"Where are we now?" Hermione inquired, and Harry answered "This is the apparition dome, where we will apparate from to a similar dome in Okinawa" Hermione looked nervously around the dome which was painted in solid white.

"Actually I was wondering …" Hermione suddenly said drawing Harry's attention away from a certain point he was looking at "Why would you need such preparation for a simple teleport; I saw you teleporting before, and you didn't need much of a finger flick"

"That is because I teleported to a near location, and not to a distant country like Japan" he answered her and glanced back again at the place he was looking at before. She looked at the same point some kind of opening.

"There is an opening …" Hermione muttered, and Harry nodded "Yes, this is the bridge control for apparition booster" to confirm his word, a sudden voice rang in the hall.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger; this is the bridge control, bridge coordinator is speaking" they saw a person appearing in the control room "Apparition booster will be ready in a minute"

"We are ready when you are" Harry said, and the coordinator nodded "Due to the fact that you will side-apparate Miss Granger with you; we allowed both of you to travel ahead of schedule so you could apparate alone"

"I understand …" Harry said, and gave the nervous Hermione an encouraging smile. However, in the bridge control, another conversation took place.

"So, this is the legendary Harry Potter …" the bridge coordinator said with a scornful smile "Doesn't look legendary for me"

"Speak of yourself, Jake …" another man who was working on the control panel of the booster retorted "He Is a walking legend, ya' know; haven't you read what 'The Quibbler' wrote about him?" he narrowed his eyes trying to recall the words he memorized "_A Miracle That Does Not happen Twice_"

"You have to stop reading such publications, Mark …" the coordinator retorted "They are more like tabloids than a respected newspaper" he looked back at the waiting Harry and continued "Besides, no one can win a war alone. It was the work of an entire auror force that brought You-Know-Who down, not his 'fancy' moves"

"Now, now; you are being totally unfair. He does have special powers, ya' know; being the Boy-Who-Lived and all" Mark remarked, earning a scornful chuckle "Yeah, that special powers thing. So, tell me … When did a twenty-something-old-man develop those special powers?"

"Maybe he did not develop them …" Mark said waving his hand frantically "Maybe he was born with them" Jake laughed again at his colleague's opinion "And the Ministry noticed those powers and appointed him a Senior Auror, right?"

"Wrong …" both bridge controllers winced due to the sudden voice that came from behind them. Jake turned around to see the newcomer, and felt relived when he saw a familiar face.

"Ah, it's you Lisa" Jake addressed the newcomer, who was none other than the blonde customs auror "Are you here to see the Legendary Harry Potter, too?"

The young auror didn't answer; instead, she stepped in eyeing the bridge coordinator indifferently before looking at the travelers "Who would miss the chance?"

She muttered, earning her a chuckle from Jake "Don't tell me that you too are a fan of this faux hero. Senior Auror, my …"

"I am neither a fan nor a hater; I am just an observer" she interrupted him, then glanced at him coolly "And I told you before that you are wrong …" she looked back at Harry before continuing "He's a Grand Auror …"

Jake's eyes widened in shock, before looking away from her toward Harry who was speak with Hermione bearing a calm smile. The coordinator eyes showed a hint of loath before he dismissed it easily and replaced it with his usual sarcastic look.

"So …" he finally said after a minute of silence "They made him a Grand Auror" he chuckled sourly a bit and muttered "Typical celebrity favoring …"

"The booster is ready, Jake" said Mark suddenly, and the coordinator smiled "Good … Let's start the Apparition, then" he then turned to the blonde auror with lopsided smile "You see … Unlike most people, I don't judge people by their looks or names. I judged them by skilles …" he looked back at Harry and Hermione before "And the main skill to test here is the apparition"

"All systems are set …" Mark said in apparent enthusiasm "I bet he'll blow us all by his strong apparition"

"Strength is not everything …" Lisa muttered, and Jake waved dismissively "Why argue when we can test the real thing. Mark, initiate the apparition sequence"

"Roger …" the Booster technician complied "Oh my, oh my … The legend is in action"

"Shut yer yappin' and just do it …" the coordinator ordered firmly, and the overly-excited tech shut up and began "Apparition sequence is initiated … Ten … Nine … Eight …"

The apparition crew started to tense; everyone wanted to see a sample of Harry Potter's power. Even Jake, with all his ridicule, wants to see what the famous thing is about this so-called legend.

"Three … Two … One … Initiate!!" Mark said pressing the operating buttons, and a humming sound came out of the machines. Seconds after, a low screech appeared in the apparition hall.

"Apparate!!" Mark yelled through the microphone, and all their eyes were fixed on Harry who took his stance. They waited for the loud bang to take place, but all what they here was … Nothing. He disappeared without a trace, and without a sound.

"My God! He is-is …" Mark whispered but couldn't complete the statement. Lisa carried on instead "He's a silent"

She turned slowly toward the stunned coordinator looked at him in triumph "What do you say, Jake? He's a legend, after all"

Jake did not reply. In fact, he couldn't what he just witnessed left him tongue-tied. But the most important matter was the event that his colleagues missed completely. Harry did not apparate with normally, he swear he saw something unnatural; something vague appeared around him. He saw a hint of … Flames.

-----------------------------------------------

For Hermione, this was the second time she experienced apparition; the first and only time was when Fawkes transported her and her mother after the attack of the death eaters. Other than that, she traveled with Harry and the others on foot or in vehicles; even when they attacked Muerte's stronghold, Ron insisted that she and Pierce follow them in car. But this time, she is traveling with Harry Potter no less, and for a very long distance.

"Harry, will we be okay?" she asked nervously, and Harry gave her a reassuring smile "Don't you trust me?"

Of course she did. In fact, she trusted his with her life, or else she wouldn't be standing right here right now. But she felt uneasy toward the concept of apparition; bending the rules of physics to such grade is something … Well … Unnatural.

The bridge announced the initiation sequence, and Hermione's body tensed _'That's it'_ she thought to herself _'Now, I will know'_

Harry felt her tension when her clutch on his arm tightened. He gave her a side glance and a lopsided grin "Hermione, just relax and enjoy the ride"

"I'm trying. But I-" she tried to complain, but a sudden screech cut her mid-sentence.

"It's starting …" Harry muttered, and Hermione's heartbeat quickened when she saw him taking a stance.

"Apparate!!" a voice came out of the speakers, and as soon as the word was said, she felt herself being pulled up by an invisible force, and the surroundings began to accelerate in speed. The next second, she felt herself being squeezed forcibly as if she was passing through a tight tunnel.

"Ha-" she tried to call for Harry, but a nauseating feeling prevented her from doing so, so she closed her eyes hoping for all this to stop.

"You can open your eyes now, Hermione" Harry's calm voice reached her, and she complied. Surprisingly, she saw herself standing in the same spot in the same hall.

"What the bloody … After all this trouble, you did not teleport us?!" she exclaimed in irritation waiting for a reasonable explanation. However, all what she got back was the same annoying smile.

"You are such an- … I'm through" she stated angrily "I had enough of your games" there was nothing to get angry about, actually; but she was too stressed to be treated with such a bad joke.

She walked out through the doors with the smiling Harry behind her, and the moment she was out to the light, she was utterly shocked.

"Welcome to Japan, Hermione" she heard Harry speaking from behind, and she knew he was right. Even though the place looked almost the same, it was still _almost_; the décor was different, the clothes were different, even the faces were different.

"S-So …" she spoke finally after the long pause "We really have teleported"

"Apparated would be the right word" Harry corrected "And yes; we have apparated" he then looked at her with somewhat blaming looks "I told you to trust me, but you didn't; or you couldn't"

"I ask you to forgive me. After all it was a whole new experience for me" she retorted with a slight hint of embarrassment "I will not doubt you ever again"

He smiled at her but never replied, and they both headed for the customs desk to complete their arrival procedures. They had to meet the head auror, thought, for Hermione's temporary visa. The head auror met them with politeness and hospitality, and told Harry that the American head of customs auror office informed them of this exceptional condition, and promised to finish the open visa in a week. They thanked the head auror and proceeded to the exit of the IAZ, and they finally breathed the fresh air of Japan.

"So …" Hermione was the first to speak "Where are we going?" she asked with apparent eagerness that Harry couldn't miss. He smiled at her and answered "Well, our trip is not that easy. We are currently in Okinawa, the largest of Ryukyu islands; and precisely in its capital, Naha" he pointed north and continued "Our destination is beyond the populated area, which ends in the northern city of Nago. I usually walk the whole distance passing through Okinawa city and Nago. But we will cut the long walk and apparate to Nago for the sake of your legs …"

Harry looked at Hermione after he finished explaining, and saw her looking back at him with a dull look on her face "You really know a lot about Japan, don't you?"

Harry chuckled lightly and answered "Well, I consider Okinawa my second home …" he looked at the comers and goers before continuing "The place where I found my self"

She did not understand what he meant by it, but she can feel something unusual in this island; something … Spiritual. Harry looked back at her assuming his usual trademark smile again "So, Miss Granger; ready for another trip of apparition?"

"You can bet on it, Mister Potter" she replied with a cheeky smile, and they both laughed before proceeding with their trip, with both oblivious to the fact that when they apparated from LA, two other persons apparated to America. Different persons from factions and with different purposes, but both have the same goal … Harry Potter.

-------------------------------------------

Harry and Hermione apparated to Nago as planed, from where they proceeded on foot through an almost abandoned mountain pass, or that what Hermione noticed, at least. They walked and walked for hours that seemed days to Hermione. Finally, Hermione gave in to her exhaustion and dropped to the ground.

"Oh _'Huff'_ God, I'm _'Wheeze'_ all used up …" she said between pants "Let's rest a bit"

"We still haven't reached midway and you are this exhausted …" Harry stated shaking his head as he sat beside her "You have to work on your stamina, Hermione"

"I'm not weak, you know …" Hermione retorted pulling a bottler of water from her backpack "I am a detective; trained in self-defense and weapons; but physical training was not focused on. We are not like you" she said giving him a meaningful look as she sipped the water "Especially you"

"Well, this is something we have to work on. Maybe I will ask sensei for a favor …" Harry said giving it a thought "And we will test that on the way back"

"O you are such an optimist …" Hermione retorted returning the bottle to her pack "Just give me a minute of Occlumancy and we'll be off from here"

Harry nodded at her, and she began the Occlumancy. Much to Harry's surprise, it didn't take her more than a minutes to regain her composure. She got up off her place and ushered him to do so.

"Come on, let's go. It's a long way forth as you just mentioned" she walked away from him not noticing the delighted look he gave her "You keep amazing me all the time, Hermione" he muttered to himself and followed her steps.

After a long walk, they reached the outskirts of the village at the first light of first light. Harry hopped on a nearby rock and gave the quite village a nostalgic look "We are here at last …" he said "Matsurumi village"

Hermione eyed the village indifferently "So, this is the village, eh?" she said with a hint of disinterest "You can find a dozen like it in England, you know …"

"Not this one …" Harry retorted with a smile, jumped off the rock and resumed walking "Hermione, from now on do as I do and don't talk unless I tell you to do so" he gave her a freaky side glance "That is if you don't want to be mistreated"

Hermione gulped soundly and nodded before following his steps. When they reached the village, she noticed that there was not a single car in sight; more than that, the houses different from the modern villas in Naha and Nago. They look more traditional just like the pictures she saw for Japan.

After a few minutes of walking, Harry suddenly stopped, then walked over to a nearby old man who was wearing traditional Japanese clothes and seemed to be busy opening his store.

"God morning, Hagane Oji-san …" he said with a smile "Long time no see"

The old man looked narrowed his eyes trying to identify the newcomer, and a bright smile appeared on his ancient face when he remembered him "Harry-kun! Is it really Harry-kun?!"

"Yes, I'm back …" Harry said before bowing lightly, and Hermione imitated him "It's good to see you in good health, Hagane Oji-san"

"This calls for a celebration …" Hagane stated, then ushered the couple inside the shop "Let's have some tea together"

"Maybe next time; I've got to go to Sensei's" Harry retorted, and the old man nodded in understand "I see … Don't let me be in your way, then" the old man waved him goodbye and proceeded to his shop before remembering something "Ah, yes … And don't forget to drop by Mayo-chan, she'll flip when she hears of your arrival"

They said their goodbyes and proceeded on their ways quietly; although Hermione felt troubled by the last words of Hagane.

"This Mayo girl …" she said cautiously "Is she related to this old man?"

"She is his only granddaughter …" Harry answered immediately, and Hermione felt her heartbeat quickens "Oh, I see …" she said, masking her jealously almost perfectly "From what this old man said, I assume she likes you a lot" and she muttered under her breath "Maybe more …"

Harry, oblivious to the meaning beyond this conversation, answered innocently "Well, yes she likes me …" Hermione's heart fell, and Harry continued "You know children infatuation, especially those four-year-old children who has no other siblings"

The final revelation relieved Hermione "Oh, four-year-old infatuation. Of course I know about that" she replied trying to divert the conversation off the critical point "I once had it myself"

"Who didn't …" he retorted, and Hermione thanked God he was that thick. Another few minutes passed, and they reached an isolated dwelling in the outskirts of the village.

"Finally …" Harry said "this is our final destination … Sensei!!" he called out loudly, but no answer was heard "Where is he … Sensei!!" he called again but with no avail.

"Maybe he left" Hermione muttered slowly, and Harry shook his head negatively "He would never leave the house, even for groceries. But maybe" he walked around the house.

When they reached the back garden, Hermione noticed an extremely old man setting by the house polishing a sword. He put the sword down when they saw them coming and greeted them with a warm smile "Greetings, children …"

* * *

_**A/N:**_ I know that you'll kill me, but this is where I should stop in this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, though. Because it was so difficult for me to write it; filler chapters are always annoying. Anyway, I think most of noticed something, why would an old Japanese man speak English in his home country. It was much rational for him to speak Japanese even with a foreigner, but it was for the sake of the story, though, or else I would have to translate every word in the conversation. And that's if I knew Japanese, which I didn't. So, let's just keep it as it is.

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese:


	3. Gifts and Riddles

_**Disclaimer:**_ I would love to say I do not own Harry Potter or any of J.K. Rowling's characters, but it is troublesome to do so.

_**A/N:**_ Now I know most of you want to kill me for the slow advancement in the last chapter, but it is the story that makes me do it, not that I like it myself.

* * *

**Gifts and Riddles**

Tonks took her first steps on the American soil with a long heavy sigh escaping her chest; the journey just reminded her of her painful first years as an auror and her encounter with the arrogant American aurors. The latter made her vow not to return to this land, but here she was.

"There is no time to think of such things, I have a task to fulfill" with that she stopped the flow of memories and made it out of the International Apparition Zone, from where she apparated to a deserted alley near the entrance of the American Ministry of Magic. She stepped into an abandoned building making her way into the main hall where she saw dusty furniture and broken-down stairs; then suddenly the whole hall glowed in pale blue.

_"Please state your name and purpose …"_ a voice came out of nowhere, but Tonks never even flinched. She stepped forward and placed her auror badge on a nearby worn out table before speaking clearly "Auror Tonks of UK, coming to see Minister Malone"

The strange blue light scanned her face and her auror badge before it glowed strongly showering the whole room in bright blue color and the broken stairs began to repair itself in ultra-fast speed.

_"Access granted … Wlecome to the Ministry of Magic, Auror Tonks"_ the voice stated again, and the now-repaired stairs began to descend into a new opening. Tonks took her badge off the table and walked over to the descending stairs and went down the opening to the Ministry entrance.

She held tightly to the wood frame during the descend _'I always trip on steady ground, let alone those moving stairs'_

The inside was completely different from the outside; the entrance hall was buzzing with noise and people where busy with their errands. She managed to walk through with difficulty for all people seemed to be in haste.

_'That's what I hate most about overcrowded countries, cause me to trip'_ she thought to herself in annoyance. Finally, she reached the marble reception counter and introduced herself to the reception staff "Auror Tonks, I requested an audience with Minister Malone hours ago"

One employee pulled out a huge tome which appeared to be used for recording booked appointment, then placed his wand on the tome muttering "Tonks, Auror; appointment with the Minister" then tapped the book once.

As soon as he pulled up his wand, the book began to leaf through itself until it reached the mentioned appointment. He read it thoroughly nodding on each line before looking back at her.

"There is an appointment alright, but I need to confirm your identity first …" he said and extended his hand towards her "Your badge, please"

Tonks complied with his request and handed him her auror badge. He tapped it with his wand and it glowed blue, then he put it face down on the appointment page giving it another tap, and a dark imprint of the badge appeared on the page. The receptionist returned the badge back to her with a broad smile on his face.

"The appointment has been confirmed; welcome to the Ministry of Magic, Auror Tonks. You may proceed to the Minister's office; take the mobile stairs number three to the seventh subfloor and you'll be there" the receptionist said to her pointing at the direction of the stairs hall.

"Thank you good sir" Tonks thanked the man properly before proceeding to the mentioned hall. She found herself in a large hall which contained several moving stairs similar to the one she took to enter the Ministry; she walked around the hall until she saw the moving stairs which bore the number 'Three', so she stepped on it and it began to move downwards.

"Now Reaching Subfloor One; Departments available … Department of Misuse of Muggle artifact, Department of Research of Muggle Artifacts …" the metallic voice stated as she reached the first floor; It kept announcing the departments of each floor while she descended deeper into the ground.

"Now Reaching Subfloor Six; Departments available … Department of Mysteries, Department of Law Enforcement, Wizard Tribunal, The House of Warlocks …" she heard the voice stating and she sighed in relief; only one floor left.

"New Reaching Subfloor Seven; Departments Available … Minister's Office" the voice stated as she hopped off the descending stairs; she walked across the empty corridor toward the only door in front of her and knocked the door lightly, and a muffled voice came from inside.

"Come in …" Tonks entered the room and saw the Minister's secretary setting on her desk and doing what all secretaries would do … Typing.

"May I help you?" the secretary asked formally, and Tonks answered "Auror Tonks, I have an appointment with Minister Malone"

"One minute …" the secretary said and went inside the office, a minute later she got out and ushered her in "You may go inside, Auror Tonks" Tonks said her thanks and walked through the door almost tripping, where she found the Minister waiting for her.

"Welcome to the United States again, Director Tonks" Malone greeted her warmly "You're a bit late which is unusual from you"

"It's good to see you too, Minister. The Apparition ports are somewhat congested these days" Tonks replied before a bitter smile showed up her face "And I'm not a director anymore"

"Why?! Did they force you to quite?!" Malone inquired in surprise, and Tonks answered his inquiries "No, I actually sent a resignation request long ago, but they refused to accept it until they find a suitable replacement" she handed him a sealed envelope "And what a replacement they chose …"

Malone couldn't deny the suspense he was feeling with the sealed envelope he was holding, so he opened it quickly and scanned the contents of the letter, and his suspense was replaced with utter shock.

"It is not due for announcement until the next month, so please don't speak up the name loudly or I will be in trouble" Tonks stated coolly pointing at the door "Walls have ears, they say"

Malone nodding in understanding although he couldn't help but to feel astounded by the latest revelation "I don't know if it's true or not, but I heard rumors that _he_ and Auror Potter aren't on good terms"

"The rumors are true" Tonks replied "And I can safely assume that as soon as the announcement is made, he would come to you personally and request for the return of Harry and Ron to the British isles"

Malone gave the letter a long troubled look "With Flint's unknown status, and the status quo being calm, Death Trackers would no longer be needed" he looked back at her "This is what you want to say, isn't it?"

"Right as usual" she replied "So, I'm telling you, Minister, this cannot be allowed to happen; or else Flint will be free to do anything here"

Malone held his hand together and thought deeply about what Tonks said, and she stated once again "Steve, you once helped me when I was in trouble; all what I'm asking is another favor. If there is anyone brilliant enough to solve this knotty matter he is Harry; please tell me where he is"

Malone looked at her for a minute before scribbling something on a parchment he got from his drawer and handed it to her "Take it, and let's hope that all is not in vain"

"It won't be, friend; trust me on that" Tonks said with gleaming eyes as she read the parchment "Thank you for your help, Steve"

"Yeah, yeah; just go and do your thing" Malone dismissed her coolly but not without a smile, and she thanked him once again before leaving the office for the mentioned location, hoping that she was not too late …

-----------------------------------

"Sorry for being late, Kojiro-Sensei" Harry said with a polite bow that Hermione imitate, and Tatsuya waved at him "There is no need to apologize every time you come her, Harry-kun"

"Sorry again, Sensei" Harry apologized again, and the Tatsuya smiled hopelessly at his disciple. Hermione took the chance to look at the old sage; she already knew that he was old, but didn't expect him to be _that_ old; light in weight and his skin is totally wrinkled.

_'Is he really strong?'_ she asked her self in wonder; surprisingly, she saw him looking back at her with a smile on his face.

"Elders are not necessarily weak, Granger-san" Tatsuya retorted giving her a knowing smile, and she backed off in surprise "Are you-?"

"I don't have to read your mind when your face shows what's inside you" the old sage replied, and Hermione looked at him in amazement. After a minute of silence, Harry was the first to speak.

"Sensei, I hope you found an answer to my queries?" he asked in concern, but he was not answered directly. Tatsuya sheathed the sword he was polishing and got up "Follow me"

Both younglings followed him, and he led them into his personal study where knowledge scrolls could be seen on top of a low table. He ushered them to set down while he assumed his place behind the table.

"You see; I've been studying these scrolls since the day you sent me that letter, Harry-kun; and I stumbled upon a very interesting thing" Tatsuya stated as he unrolled one of the scrolls. Out of curiosity, Hermione leaned forward trying to steal a glimpse of what's inside the scroll, but all what she saw was some Japanese characters that she couldn't comprehend.

"Matsuyama Hayate, a famous commander from the Shogun era" he pointed at a certain Japanese statement "He was famed for his wit, decisiveness, and most importantly his ability to perceive the opponent's attack before it commences, and base his counter attack upon this perception"

He unrolled the scroll even more until he reached a certain point "Kusanagi Ami, Japanese spy during the early days of Imperial Japan, she was assigned to spy on China during one of their usual conflicts, and she managed to extract the war plans without a single witness"

He continued to unroll the scroll "Hyuuga Shizune, a Japanese saint whose miracles reside in her dreams. They say the every dream she saw has come true" he then rolled the scroll and returned it to its place before looking back at Harry and Hermione "Those are only few of what this scroll contains, which are showing the exact or similar pattern to your case" he pick up he pipe off the table and placed some tobacco in it "Now, before I speak up my thoughts, I want to hear from you, Granger-san"

"What do you want to hear, sir?" Hermione asked with a hint of confusion, and the old sag answered her "Did you recently stumble upon something that caused you confusion? Like a strange scene or memory?" The minute he said the last word, a certain object appeared before her eyes; the wand …

"Yes, I have one …" Harry looked at her in surprise, but she away from him "It was an incident that happened yesterday when stumbled upon Harry's secret study …"

She told them everything from her discovery of the secret study until the moment Harry caught her with the wand in her grasp. The raven haired man felt more than surprised at the revelation, he felt betrayed.

When Hermione finished telling her tale, she sighed deeply as the scenes of that intense battle passed through her mind. She took a quick glimpse of Harry beside her and saw that his face wore no expressions, but noticed that his grip was shaking slightly.

Tatsuya drew a long breath out of his pipe pondering on what Hermione had just said, then released a big cloud of smoke and looked at both younglings.

"All is clear to me … Somehow" the old sage muttered attracting both of them before turning his eyes toward Hermione "You say that you saw that memory, you were holding the wand, right?"

She nodding in approval "Yes, although I didn't know that Harry stored a memory there"

"I did not …" Harry interrupted her in indifference "Memories cannot be stored in a solid thing like wands"

"True …" Tatsuya commented on his statement "What you have seen, Granger-san, was a memory of the wand itself"

She looked at him as if he was a madman "A memory … Of the wand?!" she asked in disbelief and he nodded "Yes, the wand. However, not many people can see such memories, only special ones can do so; and these are called … Seers"

Hermione was totally bewildered by the disclosure. However, Harry remained as passive as he was.

"I-I'm a seer?!" she asked in disbelief, and Tatsuya smoked his pipe for a minute before answering her "This is the question with no answer; there are no mark visible that can be used to distinguish seers. However, there are some trials that can pinpoint them; these are the trials of mind, knowledge, and magic"

Harry's attention was finally drawn into this conversation; it was the first time he's ever heard of such trials. Tatsuya continued his explanation "The trial of mind tests their ability to read the minds, break the mental control, and perceive the future. The trial of knowledge simply tests their ability to learn; seers are fast learners, and that's why most of them became sages" he drew another breath from the pipe "The last trial, which is of magic, does not concern you as a muggle, but you can clearly deduce that it tests the magical abilities of the seer"

"So … I am not a seer, after all" Hermione stated; she was relieved that she was still normal, but losing the opportunity of experiencing something new was a bit disappointing. However, Tatsuya never let her dwell in this mix of emotions.

"I told you before that it's a question without an answer; only trials will clarify" he replied before drawing another breath off his pipe "Which is what are we going to do right now; that's if you wanted to do it"

"Of course I want!!" she retorted in eagerness; she was tired of being in this state of limbo, and was ready to do anything that would reveal the truth of her current situation and put a stop to it.

Tatsuya pulled one last breath off his pipe before extinguishing it, the turned to the eager youngling "Testing your magic is out of question since you are a muggle, and the trial of knowledge would be to dull to begin with" he then completed with a smile "Which leaves us with the trial of mind"

"I'm ready to take anything" Hermione jumped on her feet "I'm ready to take it now if I must"

Tatsuya chuckled lightly at her enthusiasm causing both younglings to eye him in bafflement, the old sage spoke slowly with a smile on his face "You wouldn't be that confident when you know the place of the trial …" the last statement caused Harry's body to tense and Tatsuya mouthed the words "Akuma no Mori …"

--------------------------------------------

After only an hour from her meeting with the Minister, Tonks was standing in front of the doors of Harry team's hideout; she was panting heavily from the stair climbing.

"Bloody well done …" she said between pants "Placing an anti-apparition ward with radius as bid as three blocks. Whose bloody idea was it, anyway?"

She took her time in slowing her breathing, and with a loud final sigh she knocked the door to the hideout. After a minute of waiting, the door opened, and a blonde head with a stern face popped out of the opened gap.

"Yes?" the blonde man, who was none other than Vladimir Pavlov, asked; and Tonks replied as calm as she could "May I meet Harry Potter, good sir?"

"And who might you be?" Vlad asked in a way that appeared rude to the pink head, but she was in place of questioning the blonde's manners.

"You want to know me? Fine …" she put her hand in her pocket in order to pull out her badge, but a sudden bang made her stop midway. Vlad opened the door wide open and was pointing his wand at her dangerously.

"Hold it right there …" the blonde auror said firmly, but he was surprised that his order was met by a scornful smile from her.

"How would you know who I am if I didn't show you me badge" Tonks said with a sly smile before pulling out her badge and threw it to him. He caught the badge swiftly noticing the golden surface and the four stars that distinguish the Senior Auror, Second Class rank, and after examining the badge magically, it appeared to be genuine.

"Sorry ma'am; you may enter" Vlad addressed her respectfully as he made way for entry. She walked through the entrance looking at the inside the hideout with a calculating look.

"Not bad for a Senior Auror, but it does not suite a Grand Auror, now … HEY HARRY!!" she called at the top of her voice, and the panicked Vlad gagged her from behind.

"Please ma'am, keep it quiet in here. There is no silencing charm arou- YOUCH!!" Vlad tried to reason with the energetic pink head but and was rewarded with a bite on his hand for his efforts.

"No silencing charm, you say? Has Harry's tactics worn away?" she said with disapproval, but got no answer from Vlad who was rubbing the bite she gave him.

"Actually, we discovered that it would interfere with the tracking equipments …" an answer came from behind, and she turned almost tripping during the turn but was caught by a pair of strong arms. She looked up at the owner of those arms and was welcomed by the site of Ron.

"Well, at least someone here is familiar. Wotcher, Ronnie boy?" she greeted him while straightening herself, and Ron replied with a smile "Very well; unlike someone else"

"Don't blame me for my nature, Ickle Ronniekins" she teased him cheekily. Ron was not amused, though, and didn't feel like retorting himself.

"Anyway …." She said when she didn't receive any reply "I did not come her to just tease you; I came with business and news"

"I thought so … So, why don't you skip your cheekiness for now and carry on your business" he said and gestured her toward a nearby door "Shall we?"

"Whatever …" she huffed at him and walked away from him. However, on her way to the door, she tripped with her own feet as she does usually.

"That was deliberate …" she tried to justify her usual clumsy movement, and Ron rolled his eyes "Oh, right …" They both walked through the door leaving the dumbfounded Vlad behind.

"Is she really an auror?!" he questioned himself soundly before following them inside the room.

When they walked in, Tonks found herself standing in a room full of computers and monitors which was unusual for her to see as a witch. Behind one of those computers she saw an auror couple, man and woman, who seemed to be immersed in a friendly conversation.

"It seems that the weather is calm these days" she said in a deliberate loud voice caused the two aurors to flinch and stand up quickly.

"You are such a mood wrecker, Tonks" Ron retorted coolly and pointed at the surprised aurors "Richard Howards, Regular Auror First Class, and the team's Intel specialist … Sofia Blanc, Regular Auror Second Class, and the team's medic and infiltration specialist"

The mentioned aurors nodded respectively. Seconds later, Vlad entered the room while still rubbing his hand "And I think you got acquainted with our hands-on operative Vladimir Pavlov, Senior Auror Fifth Class"

"Hands-on operative indeed …" she commented with a naughty smile and Ron sighed hopelessly "Everyone, this is Auror Tonks, Senior Auror Second Class, a metamorphmagus, and the Director of Law Enforcement in Britain …"

"Not anymore …" she blurted suddenly and Ron looked at her inquisitively. However, she waved at his dismissively and urged him to carry on "All in good time, let's be done with this first"

Ron gave her a bored before he resumed "Alright, I want just to mention that she is the second in command of the unofficial Death Tracker Department?" Tonks gave the aligned aurors sly look and said with her hands on her hip "Have you heard of the death trackers, children?"

None of the aurors answered her, and a slight cough from Ron brought her attention back to him "Actually, they are all death trackers; special recommendation from Harry himself"

"Oh really?! Did Harry get that soft for staying out of UK for a long time?!" she exclaimed in amusement, then something came to her "Speaking of Harry, where is he?"

"If he was here, he would've definitely come after the source of the ruckus; but he's not …" Ron stated nonchalantly, and Tonks grabbed him by the throat.

"WHAT?! I came all the way from England carrying serious news and all what you can say is THAT?! Where is he? WHERE IS HE?!" she bellowed at the top of her voice while wringing his neck, and the aurors backed off quickly and seemed to be appalled by her sudden outburst.

"Tonks … Please … Harry … Home" Those words were enough from him for her to loosen her grasp over his neck and ask in curiosity "What did you say?"

"I said …" Ron replied while coughing "I know where Harry lives. I can take you to his home"

"Why didn't you say so?" Tonks said cheerfully while Ron gave her a murderous look "Then let's be on our way"

She took a few steps toward the door tripping as usual in process "Bugger …" she mouthed in annoyance and got up quickly looking back at Ron "Shall we?"

Both of them walked out of the room leaving the baffled trio behind. Dick looked at Vlad in disbelief and asked "Is she really an auror?"

"I'm not sure …" Vlad muttered, before they all returned to their posts.

After fifteen minutes and a dozen of trippings, they were standing in front of Harry's flat. Tonks looked around the building hall nodding in delight "He has a good taste of choice as usual … HEY HARRY!!"

Along with the last words, she knocked the front door hard causing Ron to flinch and plug his ears "Tonks! Please show some decency when knocking people's doors"

"Trifles, trifles … It's not that I like it, really" she said with a serious face for the first time since she came here "But I have a message to convey before it's too late"

"It's past midnight already, and people tend to be asleep at a time like this if you catch my meaning" he remarked indifferently not heeding her speech. He then knocked the door lightly "Harry, open up if you hear me"

No answer came from inside, so he said while putting his hand in his pocket "Maybe they're asleep, after all"

"Who are they?" Tonks asked in curiosity, then her eyes fixed upon a key Ron, who never bothered answering her, pulled out of his pocket. The key seemed to fit into small keyhole like the one in the door. He inserted the key into the hole and turned it, and a click sound certified her thoughts.

"You had the key all along and didn't use it?!" she said angrily. He kept his passive face as he answered her "It is for the same thing I told you before … Decency" She mumbled something under her breath and followed him inside where they found themselves standing in the middle of the dim-lit living room.

"Alright, you'll wait here while I go look for them" he said to her firmly turning the room's lights for her, but what he saw on the table after the lights were on told him that he might not be troubled with searching, after all.

A letter was placed neatly on the coffee table in a way was that made her obvious to the first one to enter the room. Ron believed that it was put this way deliberately, but also dreaded the fact that it might not contain the answer they desired. He reached for the letter and unfolded it before giving it a quick glance. However, this glance was enough to cause him to pale.

"What is it?" Tonks asked when she noticed the change in his face as if he met a dementor. He slowly handed her the letter and she snatched it from him. After reading the letter her hand began to shake and only one word was on the tip of her tongue.

---------------------------------------

"WHAT?!"

Harry exclaimed eyeing his sensei in disbelief "B-But Sensei, that place is not safe for ordinary wizards, let alone a muggle like Hermione; she would definitely be in dang-"

"That would be her choice in the end …" Tatsuya said decidedly looking at Hermione. She appreciated his decision of giving her the choice in this matter, but first she needed to know what it was all about.

"Sir …" she said politely "What is this Akoma-no-something?" he smiled at her difficulty in pronouncing the name.

"Akuma no Mori …" he corrected "It's the other name of Yamahata forest; it is the forest that surrounds Matsurumi Village" he pointed outside the window at a nearby forest and said "This very forest …"

Hermione eyed the seemingly huge forest in awe; she never saw such greenery before, not even in England; yet there was something missing in this forest, something vital that she couldn't pinpoint.

Tatsuya answered her unspoken question "Yamahata forest was the most beautiful forest on this island; being rich in both flora and fauna, not a single branch was without a singling bird or a gnawing squirrel. The families considered the forest a spiritual and recreational resort, and the children were free to play through it"

He silenced for a minute reminiscing that memory before resuming "However, thirty years ago, a man of darkness came to this tranquil forest and put an awful being in its depth. Since then, all who ventured to walk through the forest were never seen again; and so the people of Matsurumi village deemed this place damned forever" he looked at her before speaking again "And thus came the name 'Akuma no Mori', which means 'Forest of the Devil'"

Hermione was intrigued by the story. However, as he progressed further in this tale, more questions appeared in her head.

"Interesting …" she said calmly "But I don't see how that is related to the trial of mind you talked about"

A sly smiled appeared on the old sage's face before he answered her "It is completely related" he said "Deep inside the forest, there is a legendry scroll that the dark man claimed it contains the knowledge of the world. I want you to bring me this scroll"

Hermione gave him a long calculating look before speaking "So, you want me to bring you this condensed library … What's in it for me, then?"

He gave her the same smile and replied "If you do so, I will solve the problems of your troubled mind … permanently"

Those words ignited hope inside Hermione, ever since she experienced her first dark dream, it kept occurring again and again preventing her from sleeping quietly. So apparently, she would do anything in order to regain her peaceful sleep.

"Wait just a minute …" Harry dropped into this conversation snapping her from her thoughts "We've just arrived, sensei; so it would be unfair to let her go without resting" he said hoping to get some time alone with Hermione away from his master, and convince her not to go through this terrible trail. But Tatsuya has other ideas.

"I have not finished my deal yet …" he said regaining the attention of Hermione "I said that I will heal your mind if you brought the scroll to me, and the time is open" Harry sighed in relief after hearing that, but not for long "However, if you succeed in bringing the scroll within the few next hours, I will help you enhance that new ability of yours"

Harry's body tensed while Hermione pondered on the reason why he thought she would accept such ridiculous offer. The old sage knew what question was revolving into her head right now.

"Your gift is amazing, Granger-san" he said to her "You will be able to protect all those who are precious to you" he said the last words knowing that it is what she wants "However, your dreams will still be able to manifest even stronger than before" a look of concern appeared on her face, and was struggling with another emotion; Desire...

Since the day she lost her first partner, Hermione felt herself weak and useless. She did not have the power to protect him or anyone who was killed after that; and it was the reason why she worked alone for a long time. But what brought her back to her senses was her first meeting with Harry, and his miraculous saving of her. She witnessed his power in awe; it was that kind of power she longed for, the power to protect all her beloved ones. Now, this power is at her disposal, but not without a toll.

Tatsuya surely put her on a difficult crossroad, with each one of them leading to a different path from the other. Either she abolishes her gift and returns to her useless self, or keeps it and suffers her horrid dreams. The two choices clashed in her head until one of them won.

"Okay …" she said in resolution "Where can I enter the forest from?"

"Hermione …" Harry muttered in hopelessness, and Tatsuya smiled in triumph "This way"

He got up and opened the door of the study and showed her the way; she then nodded at him and walked toward the forest until she faded in the morning mist. After she was out of sight, Harry turned to Tatsuya and addressed him in a way that seemed rude to the elder master.

"I don't believe it!!" the raven haired man spouted "Have you become so apathetic that you send her into this dreadful place?!"

"Mind your manners, Harry-kun, I'm still your sensei …" the old sage retorted "Besides, I've noticed that you've become so over protective of her lately"

"Of course I am …" Harry replied "If you haven't notice, she is a muggle; which means that she cannot protect herself properly"

"On the contrary …" Tatsuya retorted again "She can protect herself better than what you imagine; you just need to do one thing for her" he looked at him intently and said "Believe in her …"

The words hit Harry's heart; they were the same words that Pierce told him last night. How can he forget such words? He looked at his master who has already got up from his seat and picked up a sword from the rack aiming to resume his work on it; and a new resolution appeared on Harry's face.

"Definitely …" he muttered "I believe in you, Hermione …"

------------------------------------------------

"That's weird …" Hermione said looking at a certain tree "I swear I've passed this very tree a while ago"

It has been an hour since she entered the forest, and all what she saw until now was trees and more trees. Nothing promised of a scenery change of any kind, and she began to feel tired of it.

"Face it Hermione …" she said to herself as she dropped to the ground "You are as lost as a white mouse in a cotton field"

She looked around examining the forest for the first time. It was vast, maybe bigger than any forest she saw in her life, but during her hour of walking she noticed something unnatural.

"Hmm" she looked at her watch, and saw that it was pointing seven o'clock, and not a single ray of light reached here yet. She felt this unnatural phenomenon the moment she put her foot into this forest; the more she went deep the more dim it became. And it was not because of the density of the trees alone, but for another thing she cannot comprehend; as if the darkness was emitting from the heart of the forest.

"What the …" she said when she saw something appearing from the horizon "Fog …"

She walked toward the newly-formed haze although she couldn't help but to feel suspicious about it. However, this fog, whatever its origin was, was like a hope kindled in this middle of nowhere.

As she stepped into the fog, her pace slowed, and she got more alerted 'What hope it is' she thought to herself looking around her and seeing more fog; she was more lost that when she was walking through the forest.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming her way. It was odd since the forest was uninhabited per Tatsuya's tale, but it was more hope kindled anyway.

"I'm here!!" she called as loud as she could, and her voice echoed through the fog causing her to shudder. Lucky for her, the strider halted upon hearing her voice and turned toward the source … her. She gulped and waited for the mystery person to appear, and she sighed in relief when the fog cleared around him; it was Harry.

"Oh, Harry …" she said holding her chest "You almost gave my a heart attack"

"It would suit you very well" Harry chuckled, and she chuckled out of curtsey; although she was pondering if Harry's ever threw dark jokes before.

"So … What brings you here? I haven't found the scroll if that what you were hoping to find" she said "You can search me if you want"

He didn't crack a smile at her slight joke; instead he pointed behind his back and spoke in a clod voice "I am here to take you out of here; Sensei concluded that you have failed the trial"

"WHAT?!" she exclaimed loudly "He gave me open time to do it, and I'm not leaving this place until I find that blasted scroll, you hear me?"

Harry did not flinch at her outburst, and kept his indifferent stare upon her "If you do this, you will only bring death upon yourself" he replied in a tone as cold as his eyes "As if anyone cares …"

She gasped soundly "How could you …" she looked at him in disbelief; no way this man could be the Harry she knew.

"I don't agree …" a sudden voice came from behind her causing her to jump. She turned around sharply to see thee newcomer, and a gasp of surprise came out of her mouth.

"Pierce!!" she said in astonishment "When did you arrive?!"

The police detective did not bother answering her question; instead he looked at her coldly as Harry did a while ago and muttered "I don't agree with Potter that no body cares about your. In fact, I care …" his reply caused her some pleasure, but not for long "… About your death!!'

"What?!" the last words caused her a bit of a shock, no way Pierce would say that; not in a million years.

"I worked with you for some time; doing whatever you need to achieve your goals. But it was not without a price" he said, then gave her a loathing glare "My wife …"

"Do you blame me of Lydia's death?!" she asked in disbelief, and he answered nonchalantly "As a matter of fact, yes. You caused her death because you are simply … A jinx"

Hermione's eyes began to water "Pierce … why?" she said weakly, but all what she got from him was an unfriendly scowl. She wanted an answer, a reason for all these accusations; and it came from the most unlikely person.

"She might've caused the death of your wife, Pierce …" a familiar voice came from behind her; a voice she hasn't heard for almost two years. She turned slowly to face the speaker, but when she saw him, her heart skipped a beat and her eyes widened in shock "However, she caused my own …"

"Y-You …" she whispered hoarsely backing to a nearing tree in fear. The person, who was oozing blood from several wounds in his body, advanced towards her slowly "B-But you are … you are …"

"Dead?!" he completed her sentence "Well, yes … And dead I am still"

"Joseph …" she whispered faintly, and the wounded person cracked a malicious smile "Oh, you remembered my name after all"

It was true; the one who was standing in front of her was none other than her deceased partner, Joseph Crane. However, it was impossible for him to be standing with this mangled body. But then again, he shouldn't be there in the first place, being dead and all.

"So tell me, dear partner, do you remember this?" Crane said pointing at a gunshot wound in the middle of his forehead. Hermione tried to speak back but her voice betrayed her; and all what she could get out was stuttering "Joseph, I …"

"I know you remember it, being the smartest sheep in the herd" he interrupted her rather aggressively "But you weren't smart enough to send me some help, or even some kind of warning"

"I tried to do so, but the traitor was fa-" she said in a desperate move to explain, but was interrupted again by him.

"Excuses, excuses, that's all what you have right now" he said indifferently "And don't talk about traitors like you know them well; you know nothing about them" he wiped the blood that seeped out of his forehead hall and continued "So let me teach you a thing or two about traitors" He took another step towards her, and she noticed that her back was already pressed against the tree; the luxury of backing off is no longer one of her option.

"A traitor is someone weak and timid, that's why he seeks power from the presence of others" he said while advancing "A traitor is someone who fails to respond to a comrade's call of aid, either on purpose or not" he pointed a finger at her and concluded "A traitor is you, Hermione"

"No …" tears began to flow from her eyes as the accusations took their toll upon her. However, Pierce did not feel like leaving her off "So, another trait is added to your jinx, you are beginning to prove worthless as Harry just said"

"Please, stop …" she held her head in pain; those three men, the most important men in her life, are accusing her of what she always feared. It is just too painful for her …

"Do you deny our revelation …" Harry, too, added to her pain "Do you deny your crimes?"

"Harry, please, enough already" she said in pain. She could take it from anyone, except from him. However, as her pain doubled, a strange purple glow began to appear around her and intensify at a steady rate.

"Worthless Hermione …"

"Jinx Hermione …"

"Traitor Hermione …"

"ENOUGH!!" with the last cry, the purple aura gave a huge outburst causing devastation in each direction including the one where the three men were standing in. upon touching their very skins, the purple rays cause them to dissipate in an instant. However, Hermione did not witness this abnormal phenomenon, because she has already fallen unconscious …

---------------------------------------

"That's it; I'm going in …" Harry said in flurry and got up. But Tatsuya, who was smoking his pipe for the second time, retorted coolly "You are such an annoying youngling, Harry-kun. Sit down and enjoy the morning breeze"

"How can I enjoy it while Hermione is probably suffering in that cursed forest?" the younger man blurted out his thought, and a sly smile played upon the ancient face of the old seer "You like her, don't you?"

"W-What?!" Harry was taking aback by the sudden question "Worrying about her well being does not necessarily means that I have any feeling for her"

Tatsuya kept his smile and returned to his smoking before speaking again "Whatever feelings you have for her, you still don't believe in her"

"I do" Harry replied "But I cannot hide my concern about her in this dangerous trial, she's in Akuma no Mori, after all"

"Oh, don't worry" the old sage retorted "She's well protected, unconsciously at least"

Harry was about to ask about something, but something unnatural kept him from doing so. The air was suddenly filled with static energy before they heard the sound of a tremendous explosion coming from the forest.

"What the …?" Harry turned sharply toward the direction of the source of the explosion "Mist region …" he turned back to his master only to see him more astounded than himself.

"Impossible …" The pipe dropped off the old sage's hand as he muttered. He then turned towards Harry stating firmly "Harry-kun, please bring back Granger-san; the trial has ended"

"Right away, sensei …" Harry complied with his master's order and rushed to the forest, not noticing the concerned look in Tatsuya's eyes. The elder seer picked up his fallen pipe and slowly rotated it in deep thought.

"Such power …" he muttered and looked at the resulting dust cloud before sighing heavily "Far stronger than mine …"

At this time Harry was already midway towards Hermione. He stopped to check the tracks confirming that he was on the right path 'To think that she would reach the mist region …' he thought to himself 'Astounding'

Ten minutes of full speed running passed, and he found himself at the edge of the mist region. However, as he approached the mist, he felt static energy becoming more intense, not only mentally, but it also manifested itself physically when a surge of pain hit his body suddenly, like a thousand bee stings one every inch of his body. So, for the sake of his sanity, he cast an impervious charm around himself.

Ready and impenetrable, Harry stepped into the mist region, but as he did so, surprises came along. On the first glance he noticed, what actually he thought of as thickening of the mist, heavy dust was hovering the area.

_'What the bloody has happened here?' _he thought as he pushed a rather large lump of dust that blocked his way, and then he saw her; Hermione was sobbing beside what appeared to be the remains of a tree trunk.

"Hermione!" he called suddenly; and his heart became as fast as his feet as he rushed to her side. He took a glance at her face to make sure she's alright, but what appeared in her eyes caused him concern; utter grief and a broken-down spirit.

"Why have you returned?" she said in feebly "Didn't you have enough jeer?"

Those words caused Harry's surprise even more than her looks of grief. He, who was oblivious to her recent encounter, didn't know the reason behind such words "Hermione, it's me … Harry" He said to make sure that she noticed him, but she did not heed him as she carried on with her droning.

"Haven't you done enough damage?!" with quivering voice she spoke "Or you came back just to make more fun of me, worthless Hermione"

The more she stated, the more confused Harry became, but he one thing he was sure of; something happened to her when she walked through the mist, and it was not a pleasant thing.

"Hermione, look at me" he said in a firm tone with his emerald eyes fixed upon her teary chocolate ones "I would never call you worthless"

She did not seem to respond to his talk, and he saw the tears finally flowing from her eyes along with the strangest thing that can happen; the suspended dust began to revolve around them, with no magic sensed within it.

"Why, Harry? I've always respected you" Hermione said with sobs hinting to come out "You were always the friend that I dreamed of; the person who would look at me differently" her eyes glistened with more tears as she continued weakly "But you called me Worthless …"

The dust started to spin faster causing turmoil that produced a dreadful mix with her chanting "Worthless Hermione … Worthless Hermione" Harry looked at her horribly not believing what he was witnessing.

"Hermione! Snap out of it!" he cried at the top of his voice, but the uproar made his attempt in vain. He looked at the tiny twister that was starting to form around them then looked back at Hermione in concern, and he made up his mind.

"_Somnacia_" he muttered while touching Hermione's forehead and her chanting was interrupted by a gasp before she dozed off slowly. And with her asleep, the circling dust dropped to the ground.

Dazed and confused, Harry picked the sleeping Hermione and looked around at the devastation inadvertently caused by Hermione "You have a lot to explain, sensei" he muttered and began the walk back to the old sage's cottage. Unaware of the pair of yellow eyes that peer at them maliciously.

When he reached the outside of the forest, he saw his master waiting for them in worry. However, his concern was swept away by the sight of them almost okay.

"Sensei …" Harry called in eagerness, but was stopped with a wave of the elder seer's hand "I know … I heard and sensed it"

"Then you have an explanation" Harry retorted somewhat rudely, and Tatsuya shook his head "Not now, Harry-kun. It is she whom I must speak with" the old sage said "But now take her to her room; she needs plenty of rest after such ordeal"

Harry complied with his sensei's request and continued his walk with sleeping Hermione in his arms. Tatsuya, on the other hand, looked at the lot of them in sheer concern.

"I shouldn't have sent her in; it was too much for her to handle" he muttered to himself remembering the painful feeling of the static energy even when he was standing on the outside. He then sighed heavily glancing at the shining horizon "Let's hope everything goes smoothly from now on" and he followed them to the house.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ (Fleeing from a stab by a reviewer) Wait! Wait! I know it is mad to stop at this point, but there is no benefit gained from killing me (Aside from the pleasure you might gain … Evil!!). Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, plus, I want to know if you enjoyed the Deathly Hallows, cuz I enjoyed it a lot; although there was nor H/Hr in it.

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.


	4. A Month in Training

_**Disclaimer:**_ Selling 1.2 million copies worldwide, wow!! I might be rich if I was the one owning Harry Potter, which I'm not … Lucky Rowling.

_**A/N:**_ (Dodging a thrown knife) Okay, okay. I'll start now.

**A Month in Training**

Not here … No one here either. She does not know how she got here in the first place, but she knows one thing for certain; she has to find _her_ before it's too late. Hermione yet opened another door in the long dim corridor, and found the same scene she saw in the first room; the dead body of Harry suspended in the middle of the air before bursting into flames; and this body was no different, it turned ablaze the moment she turned away from it.

_"Time is wearing thin, Granger" _a malicious voice came out of nowhere; it was the only thing that kept her company; and what a company it was.

_"You are her only hope, Granger" _the voice uttered yet again. However, this time it began to get on her nerves.

"JUST SHUT UP, WILL YOU?!" she roared in fury opening a door after another, until she reached her destination. Panting and exhausted she opened the door, and the scene inside was more than she would imagine.

Darkness was covering everything, and I mean literally. Dark matter was dripping from the ceiling like blood oozing from a wound. However, that was not what attracted her attention for the moment; a little girl was standing in the middle of the room looking both afraid and confused, but before Hermione could take a good look at her, some of that dark matter dropped on her arm causing her severe burning sensation, and the pain forced her to shut her eyes. It was only for a second though, but it was enough to do the trick; the girl was no longer in her sight for the darkness covered her completely.

"NO!!" Hermione yelled in desperation, and a dark laughter echoed in the room.

"Too late, Granger …" The dark voice called out of nowhere again, and Hermione tired to reach for the poor girl who was covered with this dark matter. But as she was about to make the move, dark tentacles appeared under her feet and pinned her to the ground.

"I told you it is too late, Granger" the dark voice said yet again, and Hermione looked hopelessly at the sight in front of her; the poor little girl was screaming loudly calling for help, but her screams was muffled with more dark matter.

"REGAN!!" Hermione cried loudly jumping of her bed. At first she looked dazed and confused, but then she knew where she was; Tatsuya's dwelling in Matsurumi Village, Japan.

Staggering in her walk, she stood up and made it for the window, which was overlooking the backyard where Harry was training with his sword. She sighed heavily and returned to her bed; it has been two weeks since she began her training with Tatsuya, and her progress was, as the old sage stated, phenomenal. However, this progress was not without price, her dark dreams became clearer … And gloomier.

She sighed again reminiscing on her first day as a seer, or should we say, Half-Seer …

FLASHBACK

_Moaning weakly, Hermione woke up and found herself on a mattress in a dim-lit room. She sat up and looked around feeling mixed-up, then she remembered it all; she was there in the forest with Harry, Pierce, and Joseph around her mouthing ridiculing words at he until she couldn't take it and fell unconscious. However, before doing so she felt a strong surge of power coming out of her._

_The nearing sound of steps brought her back to reality. She looked at herself and saw that she was wearing the tiniest clothes. So she grabbed the sheet and wrapped herself with it. The door then opened and a young Japanese woman came in._

_"Oh, you look quite well, Granger-san" The woman said in a sweet tone, and the bushy-haired woman looked at her questionably "Who are you?"_

_"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. How careless of me" The woman said before bowing politely "Hagane Taka, pleased to meet you"_

_"The pleasure is mine, I guess …" Hermione retorted "How did you know my name, anyway?"_

_"Harry-kun told me …" Taka answered quickly helping Hermione back to her bed "And he also asked me to look after you; you looked very terrible back then"_

_"I'm grateful for that …" Hermione stated tugging the sheet around her tightly "But I can't see how it consists with the fact that I'm half naked"_

_"I'm afraid it was necessary to do so" The older woman replied "Harry-kun took your clothes off, and it was the right thing to do. He said that they were tainted with dust and dirt from Akuma no Mori. However, I had to burn them for the curse not to touch you; I can give you some of my clothes as a payback; we are the same size after all"_

_Taka handed her the clothes, and Hermione took them thanking God for the dim light, or else her scarlet face would give away her embarrassment. Harry took her clothes off; it might've been for a good reason but she can't help feeling awfully embarrassing, as if all her defenses fell down._

_"Since you are okay now, I will go and inform Tatsuya-san. Take your time in wearing the clothes" Taka concluded and walked out of the room._

_Minutes later, Hermione, now fully clothed and looks like any Japanese woman, stepped out of the room looking around for an exit. And after few doorslides she found herself in the back terrace that overlooks the back yard and Harry's training ground. She also saw Tatsuya not far from her, polishing a sword._

_"You are finally awake, Granger-san" the old sage spoke suddenly without changing his stance which caused her to jump in surprise._

_"Yes, I'm sorry to be such a bother, sir; but I'll take my leave now" Hermione retorted with a slight polite nod although couldn't help but to feel sour at her failure. She knew that the trial might not be easy, but she didn't expect it to be this hard._

_Sighing in defeat, she got up and turned around to leave for her room, but a sudden cough from Tatsuya caused her to halt._

_"I don't know where did you get this idea …" The elder seer said calmly and put the sword aside "Actually, I was going to say … Congratulations, you passed"_

_The last statement stunned her out of her mind; she stood there looking stupidly at the grinning sage, and then the question was said "B-But I passed out during the trial. How come I passed?!"_

_"Apparently you don't know the purpose of this trial …" He retorted "But let's call Harry-kun before I explain everything … Harry-kun"_

_Harry, who was immersed in his physical training, halted midway and looked at him before beaming brightly at the sight of Hermione. He stopped his training and walked towards them "It's good to see you well, Hermione"_

_"Thanks, you too … I guess" she retorted while fighting a blush when she remembered what Taka told her about the dust, clothes and all "How long have I been unconscious?"_

_"Believe it or not, three days …"if there was anything good about this statement, it would be that the blush on her face was gone, and replaced with shock "Three days!! That is surely a long time" she said before leaning with a mischievous smile playing on her face "But it's hardly that long compared to your record" Harry chuckled a bit before noticing the look on his sensei's face._

_"Sorry sensei" He said nervously and cut their talk, Tatsuya cleared his throat and resumed hi speech "I know Granger-san's welfare is a blissful even, but let's not get off track …" he took a puff out of his pipe and continued "What I was going to say that you were monitored during the trial, you were monitored all the way, mentally at least. And unlike what you thought, I was not waiting for you to finish the trial, but to measure some parameters"_

_He extended his hand and began to count "Dare, Subtlety, and Might. Venturing through forest without second thought has granted you the first point already. However, your subtlety was a bit damp for you waded through the mist without preparing yourself for the unknown"_

_Her face turned a shade of scarlet at what appeared to be a hint of scold. Tatsuya carried on with his counting "And now we reach might; your strong point, and the trump card that won you the trial" he took another puff from his pipe "You see, I was expecting something else from you; something ... Meager" a smile played on his face when he continued "But you have exceeded our expectations"_

_Hermione exchanged a vacant look with the smiling Harry before asking "What expectations?"_

_The old sage took another puff and answered "You remember what you saw in the mist, right?"_

_She nodded gloomily; this specific part is the one that she tried to forget. Tatsuya resumed "Do you remember what happened there?"_

_She licked her lower lip inadvertently while trying to think back at recall the incident "All what I remember is meeting Harry, Pierce and Joseph there and …" she reluctantly looked at Harry when she remembered how he ridiculed her "And I saw a purple light coming out of nowhere"_

_"Ah, a purple light coming out of nowhere" Tatsuya repeated her last words with a smoke puff "Obviously, this light has to be emitted from a source, and this source is … You"_

_Hermione, amazed by the revelation, looked at her body "From me?!"_

_"Yes, from you. But not from here …" Tatsuya retorted and pointed at her head "From here …"_

_At first, she looked stunned and did not know what to say, but a question formed itself in her head "So, am I a seer or not?"_

_"I told you before this is a question with no answer …" The old sage said stressing on the 'No' part "But in respect of the outcome and your newly-found abilities, I can safely assume that you are what we call 'Half-Seer'"_

_Hermione frowned at the last words "Half-Seer …" she said feeling sour at the words "not even a full seer"_

_"Do not underestimate the half-seer abilities, Granger-san" Tatsuya stated calmly "They can be stronger than those whom you call 'Full Seers'"_

_Hermione pouting in disagreement; and Tatsuya took on last puff from his pipe before extinguishing it "Granger-san. Are you ready to take the path of the seer?"_

_Hermione was about to asking him about the point of the question, but he spoke first "I want you to know one thing, though. If you want to know what to expect in your training, remember the mist …"_

_She looked at him in confusion demanding explanation and he did "What you saw in the mist is but a sample of the hardship you will face as a seer" he gave her a firm look "Did you think that being a seer is easy? That knowing the future would solve your problem? If you thought so then this is not the place to teach such things"_

_He got up and walked toward the garden giving them his back "Knowledge does not always solve problems; it might be the problem itself. Like a gate only to find another behind" he took a deep breath containing the aroma of the mountain in his lungs before asking her again "Now I will ask you one more time. Are you ready to venture through the path of the seer?"_

_Hermione was lost by now; she wanted to live quietly with nothing to disturb her life, but also wanted to protect her loved ones. However, the latter would only be obtained with a heavy price; her life's tranquility._

_She looked at Harry for guidance, and he returned her look with a bright smile and a confidant nod. With that se made up her mind "Tatsuya-san, I accept your offer"_

_The old sage turned around facing them again "Then it's settled. However, you must know that from now on you will only address me by 'Sensei'. Is that clear, Hermione-chan?"_

_She looked at him for a minute before bowing politely "Yes … Sensei"_

END FLASHBACK

From that day on she trained without stop switching between mental training to knowledge gathering, and Tatsuya's scrolls promised her vast knowledge with all what they contain.

Planning to take a morning bath, she picked up her clothes and walked out of her room. But before she go to the springs, she stopped by Harry to say hi.

"Morning, Harry" she said brightly but the tiredness still appeared from her eyes, and Harry greeted back ceasing his training "Morning, Hermione. You're unusually late"

"Some trouble at sleep, but nothing important" she said dismissively, and Harry looked at her in concern. She walked away toward the springs' path before turning around and stating "Thanks for the offer, Harry; but I'm afraid there's nothing you can do"

Harry gaped at her, and she smiled at his bewilderment before walking away leaving the raven-haired man looking at the vacant spot where she was standing at in astonishment.

"Amazing, isn't she?" Tatsuya said from behind him, and he turned around to face his master "It hasn't been two weeks yet, and she can read the superficial thoughts so easily"

Harry stood without a word uttered. From the first day on, he busied himself with

"I know she surprised me, sensei" Harry said in amazement "Not bad for a half-seer"

Tatsuya pointed a warning finger at him as he retorted "Watch out what you're saying, Harry-kun; half-seer is a term invented by wizard seers to distinguish themselves from the muggle ones, it is somewhat derogatory" he walked over to his favorite spot before continuing "Besides, there is something interesting I found in the scrolls, but it's better to wait for Hermione-chan as it concerns both of you"

"Very well, in the mean time I will busy myself with more training" said Harry, and they both went to their own private matters.

------------------------------------

Twenty minutes later, Hermione has already finished her morning bath and returned back to the dwelling. When she walked into the back garden, she saw both men doing what the were doming the minute she left them, except this time they stopped the moment they saw her coming.

"Hermione-chan, good morning; please come here …" Tatsuya ushered her to come and she complied.

"Good morning, sensei, Harry … Again" she greeted both of them when Harry assumed his place. Tatsuya put aside Ichizawa and smiled at both of them "I have to be honest with you children, both of you exceeded my expectations these two weeks … Especially you, Hermione-chan"

Harry smiled at Hermione, who had a hint of blush on her face. Tatsuya carried on with his compliments "In two weeks only, you mastered telekinesis; the second level of seer training. This is something outstanding, if you didn't know" He looked sadly at her before continuing "However, I'm afraid that this is where we should stop …"

The smile faded from Hermione's face and she asked "Why is that, sensei?"

The elder seer lit his pipe and too few puffs before answering "Any further levels require magic in order to be accomplished; which unfortunately you don't possess" the words stung Hermione at heart, and Harry patted her shoulder when she lowered her head gloomily. Tatsuya smiled and resumed "But this is not the end; you still haven't reached the limit of your levels"

With her attention drawn once again, Hermione looked up at the old sage who was wearing a calm smile "Do you think she is ready for the ultimate secret, Harry-kun?"

"She's more than ready" retorted Harry, and Hermione looked at him inquisitively "What are you talking about?"

"You'll see …" Harry replied, and Tatsuya took a puff once more "Then go we shall … To the Sacred Library …"

----------------------------------------

Hermione's tried to keep her heart from beating so strong but she couldn't, not when she walks through dim-lit catacombs. Looking sideways, she was walking on her toes literally, and her nerves were completely tensed; that's why she jumped back when a bone was crushed under her foot.

"Isn't this a bit extreme way to hide a library?" she stated while trying to regain her composure, and Harry retorted "It's a secret, after all. Let's not get distracted anyway, we're almost there"

After two bends, she could see a hint of light coming from the end of the tunnel, and when they reached there, the scene was more than what she could imagine. A sturdy-looking gate embedded in the rocky wall, with a dragon statue and a torch on each side of it.

"Marvelous …" Hermione whispered in awe and walked towards the statues like a hypnotized person; Harry was about to follow her but stopped by his sensei who shook his head negatively.

Hermione reached the nearest dragon statue and moved her hand over it. However, the moment she touched the very rock of the statue, it move; the statue was alive.

"_WHO ART THOU?!_" the dragon statue questioned in a thunderous voice causing her to withdraw in fear "_WHO ART THOU?!_"

"A question needs an answer, Hermione-chan …" Tatsuya stated calmly "Answer its question"

"I-I am Hermione Granger …" she said timidly and the dragon thundered again "_THOU ART NOT ALLOWED TO VENUTRE THROUGH THE GATES OF KNOWLEDGE …_"

"Your turn, Harry-kun" the old seer said and Harry nodded. He walked in front of Hermione and spoke clearly "I plead; O mighty guardian of knowledge; to allow this mortal passage through the gates of knowledge"

The stone dragon looked at Harry, who did not flinch a bit, and spoke yet again "_PATH TO KNOWLEDGE SHALT BE GRANTED ONLY WITH A CRIMSON TOLL, PAST AND PRESENT ALIKE …_"

"Here, Hermione …" Harry said to her pulling out his sword "Do as I do …" he moved his forearm across the blade and she did the same, bearing the sharp sensation of cold steel on her arm. Harry then held her forearm up along with his.

"The crimson toll shall be given …" Harry stated, and the dragon neared them before opening its mouth and extending its stony tongue and moving it across their wounds. Hermione shivered and was about to faint when the tongue moved along her arm, but the sight of Harry standing calmly was the thing that gave her a little bit of courage.

Finally, the dragon regressed to its place and stated thunderously "_THE PATH TO KNOWLEDGE SHALT BE GRANTED …_" then it turned back to its original stillness.

"What a way to sign up for a library …" Hermione finally spoke "No wonder there are no members"

Both men laughed at her remark before Harry retorted himself "It worth it, wait and see" he bandaged both of their wounded arms before ushering her "Let's open the gate, now, go and stand in font of that dragon and I'll go to the other"

"Oh, no you won't" she shook her head negatively "You will go to _that_ dragon, while I will go to the other one" Harry rolled his eyes and muttered "Whatever …"

When they were standing in there respective places, Harry stated "Push the statue down on the count of three. One … Two … Three!!"

She pushed down the dragon statue, which was surprisingly easy to go with her push. When both statues were down, the huge gates began to rumble and open slowly. She stood before the opened gates and eyed the inside in amazement.

"Welcome, Hermione-chan, to the Sacred Library …" Tatsuya said smiling at her astonishment which was in place. The library was vast, much vaster than any regular library, scrolls and books were situated on the shelves which extend for feet and feet inside.

"Amazing …" Hermione whispered in awe "More that what I imagined"

"Centuries of knowledge are complied in these scrolls and books" the old seer stated formally before smiling "Which will be your new studying materials"

Hermione looked at him vacantly for a second before beaming brightly "Thank you, sensei" she now has a new source of knowledge, a new reason for her to stay in this wonderful place, and maybe the answer to her recurring dream. Tatsuya looked at her with a sly smile and said "Maybe …"

"Maybe what, sensei?" said Harry, who was leafing through a book, but the old sage shook his head "Nothing. Let's just leave for now"

"Why?! We have just arrived" Hermione protested, but Tatsuya never accepted "You will have all the time to read in the afternoon. In the meanwhile, feel free to do anything until then" he leaned at her and continued "Except studying, of course"

"Let's train a bit; that's a good thing to pass time" that was from Harry, who received a sharp look from his sensei "Stop thinking like a machine, baka. You will only drop dead with all your magic exhausted as a result of your stubbornness"

Hermione laughed for a minute at the statement before hushing suddenly when she remembered something. They soon left the library not forgetting to close it behind them. But both younglings still didn't know what to do with their free time other than doing the forbidden training and studying. However, Tatsuya gave a good suggestion.

"Why don't you take her on a stroll in the village, Harry-kun" he said "It would be a good experience for her to meet people from a different culture. Besides, she didn't leave this dwelling since the day of your arrival"

"Good idea, sensei" Harry said enthusiastically "And we will shop for groceries while at it"

---------------------------------------------

After leaving the catacombs, they left the dwelling for Matsurumi Village. And when they were midway, Hermione made up her mind and asked Harry the question that came to her.

"Say Harry …" she said gaining the attention of the raven-haired man "When sensei spoke of your magic exhausted I remembered something" she looked at him "The day when you appeared outside Muerte's fortress, you looked awfully dead. And Ron said the same thing; your magic exhausted" her look turned into a confused one "I don't get it; isn't magic infinite?"

Harry looked at the horizon before him arranging his thoughts for a minute before answering her "You see Hermione, magic is like any other energy source, may be more powerful, but still depletable" he looked back at her with a smile "Wizards are actually humans living in symbiosis with a power that they agreed to call it 'Magic', we give this power a vessel to live in while it grants us powers we wouldn't dream of"

He returned to glance at the bright horizon "However, with this symbiosis, a price must be paid; our body functions slowly began to be dependable on this magic; the organs are functioning only when magic is present. So, when someone overuses magic; let's say performing a complex spell that he is not accustomed to, or over-casting a magical spell. Bond between magic and body weakens, and the body succumbs to its wounds. In other words, dies"

The last word caused Hermione to gloom, and Harry cheered her up "No need for the long face, Hermione. It's not like it happens occasionally"

"It happened to you once …" she muttered, and he replied "And it won't happen again. It was a dumb move that I will not repeat …" then he retorted "Unless I have to, of course"

"I'll make sure you won't, then" she retorted herself before eyeing the new scene "Thank you for the explanation, Harry. I think we reached the village, now. So … Where to?"

He thought for a second "Let's start from the place I favor most; Hagane store …"

They walked to the mentioned store, which was the first place she saw when they first arrived to the village; a modest store that had nothing special, yet it had a cozy feeling.

They walked inside the store, which Hermione noticed that it contained a lot of items, usual and unusual. Harry walked toward the main counter where old man Hagane was waiting for them smiling.

"Ohio, Harry-kun and young miss-san" Hagane greeted both of them, and Hermione replied politely "Good morning, good sir. My name is Hermione Granger, you can call me Hermione"

"And I'm Hagane Genzo, but my friends call me Hagane Oji-san" the old man retorted, and Harry stepped into the conversation "Ohio, Hagane Oji-san; I'm here for the usual and anything Hermione wants" he looked at her with a smile and she took the cue. She looked around the store before stopping before the holder holding variety of necklaces, and a certain necklace with a Japanese character.

"What does it mean?" she asked the old man holding the necklace in front of him, and he answered "It a Japanese word means love; this necklace is common between friends and lovers"

The last word caused her to blush a little "Oh, I see" she said returning the necklace to its place, but the old man shook his head "It's on the store, please accept it"

"But-I can't" Hermione hesitated for a minute, and Harry leaned at her "It's rude to refuse a gift, ya' know" he then beamed at Hagane "Thank you for your gift, Hagane Oji-san"

The old man nodded politely "You're welcome. The groceries will take some time to prepare" he pointed firmly at Harry "You, on the other hand, have to keep up your promise and drop by Mayo-chan"

"I totally forgot about that" Harry said slapping his forehead "I'll definitely do it"

They left the store and walked down the street greeting everyone in their way. Hermione looked at Harry and asked "So, tell me about this Mayo girl; the old man speak of it as a mandatory chore to do"

"Well, it is …" Harry retorted "Mayo-chan is an orphan, ya' know. Her father was an adventurer. Three years ago, he ventured into Akuma no Mori and never returned. So, everyone in the village presumed he was dead" he sighed heavily "Actually, he was dead the moment he walked into that cursed forest"

Hermione felt her heart stung, losing a parent is something painful, especially for a child. Harry continued his speech "When I first came here, she quickly got used to me and I tried to assume the role of a big brother trying to patch part of the big wound in her heart"

More he spoke of it, and more she felt pity for the little girl. Soon they reached a modest Japanese house overlooking a playground. Harry knocked the door, and a familiar face appeared.

"Taka!!" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, and the woman beamed brightly "Ohio Hermione-chan and Harry-kun"

"You-You are living here?!" Hermione asked, and taka nodded "Yes, and I presume you can to meet my daughter … Mayo!"

A little girl wearing Japanese kimono came bustling toward them; and when she saw Harry she rushed at him and hugged his legs.

"Ohio, Harry Oniisan" she greeted joyfully, and Harry left her up and kissed her on the cheek "Ohio, Mayo-chan; I hope you didn't cause your mother any trouble while I was away"

The little girl shook her head negatively before noticing Hermione looking at her with a smile, and she cowered at the sight of this new stranger. Harry spoke in her ear reassuring her "It's alright; this is Hermione-chan my friend. Say 'Ohio' to her"

He let her down and she stepped forward toward the bushy haired woman and bowed courteously "Ohio, Minie Niichan"

Hermione smiled at her and replied "Ohio, Mayo-chan. It's Hermione, the by the way"

"Hai, Minie Niichan" the little girl said, and Hermione couldn't help but to smile at her innocence. Harry looked at the mother and asked her "Is everything alright, Taka-chan?"

"Everything is alright, Harry-kun. Thank you for asking …" the young mother replied politely "However, Mayo started to act weird for some time. So I took her to Tatsuya-san and he told me something troubling" she lowered her eyes and stood silent for some time before speaking again "He said that she has the potential of being … magical"

Harry smile at her "That's great Taka-chan" he said "What's the problem, then?"

"The problem is …" she said before sighing "I don't want her to suffer the solitude like her father"

"Her father was a wizard?!" he asked in surprise and she nodded "Why I wasn't told until now?"

"Because we were told not to speak about him" she said "Even my Oto-san forced me to change my surname back to 'Hagane'"

"Why?! I thought this village accepted magic even when it is not a magical one itself" Harry interjected, and Taka gave him a meaningful look "But they didn't accept dark magic, Harry-kun; for my husband was a death eater …"

"Death eater?! In these parts?!" He said rather loudly, then looked sideways before muttering "Better go inside …"

The group went inside the house while Mayo went to play with her friends, and Taka served them tea and told him the story of her husband Kazama Ryo, an adventurer and a wizard, whom she was married to. He was a good-natured wizard who was loved by the whole village, even the children loved him because of the stories he told about the adventures he had. But one day, this dark day, he returned from a particular adventure with a face different from his usual his, and ideas far more twisted about good and evil. He kept doing strange experiments in Yamahata forest until that evil man arrived and tainted the forest and left his mark on Ryo's arm. And everybody was convinced that Ryo helped the evil man tainting their beloved forest.

Taka took a minute to regain her composure and prevent the tears from falling before continuing "And you know the story about him venturing through the deadly forest and never come back. How foolish of him, Mayo didn't even had a chance to come to an age which she can remember him …"

Harry and Hermione exchanged a concerned look then turned back to Taka whom tears began to fall down her pretty face "I-I just don't know why he did it …" she said with a trembling voice "We where happy before that cursed man appeared in our life; and after he did so, all what was left in Ryo's mind is the lust for power"

Taka then stopped talking as grief took over her, and Harry and Hermione respected her silence. For a whole minute she wept her eyes dry.

"Sorry ..." she said when she finally got hold of herself "I must've bored you with this story"

"Not at all" Hermione retorted before getting up "But I think you need to rest for a while. Thank you for the tea, Taka-chan" she gave Harry a meaningful glance and he followed her outside.

When they were outside, Harry was the first to speak "So, what do you think?"

Hermione gave a long vacant look before answering "I think there is something missing in this tale"

"Same feeling …" Harry nodded "Therefore, I need to ask around for this thing"

"Just be careful; I don't thing it's a popular gossip around here" she retorted at him, before hearing loud crying coming from the playground. They went there quickly and found out that Mayo was the one.

"Mayo-chan!!" Hermione said "What happened?!"

Mayo pointed at one of the boys "He pushed me …"

"Why did you do that, Taro-kun?" Harry said with a hint of scolding, and the boy defended himself "She tried to steal my toy"

"I did not …" the little girl snapped "I wanted to play with him"

"Why don't you share your toys with her, Taro-kun?" Hermione said softly, but the little boy shook his head "No, Oka-san said that her To-san was a traitor; which is a bad thing, isn't it?"

Harry and Hermione exchanged a worried glance before the former spoke "That's a bad thing to say Taro-kun; Mayo-chan is your friend, isn't she? And you don't want to hurt her, right?"

The boy nodded innocently, and Harry smiled "Then don't say that about her To-san again, okay?" the boy nodded again. Harry then turned to Mayo who still has hints of tears in her eyes.

"Let's go home, Mayo-chan" he reach for her with his hand, but she slipped away and clung to Hermione's leg. Hermione smiled at her before speaking to Harry "I will take her home. You go ahead of me"

Harry nodded before leaving her with the children …

----------------------------------------------

At home, their training resumed, and Hermione was allowed to take several scrolls out of the Sacred Library. And Harry was sparring with his sensei, although he was not himself.

"Concentrate, Harry-kun …" Tatsuya scolded when he was able to land another hit on his student "Clear your mind before the battle"

"Actually I can't, Sensei" Harry retorted "I want to ask you about a thing"

"Then ask" the elder seer said, and Harry took a deep breath before speaking again "What do you know about Kazama Ryo?"

Tatsuya's body tensed before he went to the nearby well and drew some water "So, Taka finally talked about it …" he muttered "It is not a popular story around here, Harry-kun"

"But I want to know, Sensei" the young man insisted "I feel there is something awfully missing in the story she told …"

The old sage gave him a long calculating look before speaking again "Very well, I will tell you what you want, but don't expect more information from me" he took a sip of water before beginning to tell the tale "Mostly, Taka told you about him as a renowned adventurer and a good husband, and that he was loved by the village before his unfortunate encounter with the evil man and the tainting of the forest" he gave Harry a meaningful look "But has she mentioned that he was my disciple?"

A shocked look appeared in Harry's eyes "Your … Disciple?!" the old man nodded "Yes, just like you and Hermione-chan. He was a good-natured man and a talented swordsman and wizard, although not as talented as you. But that cursed meeting changed him entirely"

He returned the pail to its place and spoke again "He developed a lust for power, although he justified it with being for the benefit of the village" a scowl appeared on his face "'The End Justifies The Means', that what he said. Plainly stupid, I must say, even if it was for the benefit of the village"

The old sage silence for a minute, and Harry urged him "And then … What happened?"

"You know what happened; baka got himself killed by his own creation. Although it's odd that nobody found his body yet"

"Body not found …" Harry muttered; Tatsuya, on the other hand, got up and mumbled "Now that you spoiled my mood, I want some compensation … Hermione-chan?!"

Hermione, who was deeply immersed in her studying, jumped at his calling. She came to them with a questioning look, and Tatsuya smiled at her "Enough of that boring knowledge gathering; let's do some serious double training"

"Double training?!" She asked in confusion, and Tatsuya's smile widened "Let me measure your mental powers; Harry-kun and I will do some seriously swift sparring, and I want you to track our movements with your mind"

She hesitated for a second before muttering "I-I don't know, but I'll try"

"Don't try … Do" Tatsuya said, surprisingly, these were the words of Harry at the beginning of their training back then. Tatsuya picked up his kendo stick again and pointed at Harry "Let's start slow and easy … Begin!"

They began sparring slowly, but even their slow movements were fast for a naked eye to follow completely "Use your mind, Hermione" she muttered to herself and closed her eyes. Slowly, the image of the garden appeared in her mind, then she saw them; Harry and Tatsuya were exchanging strikes at outstanding speed, but she followed them all. After a few minutes, both swordsmen halted with surprisingly none of them broke a sweat.

"So, Hermione-chan; tell me about it …" Tatsuya said to her, and she smiled in triumph explaining every strike she saw.

"… And the most brilliant move was that hit you gave Harry on his bottom, he almost toppled over on his face" she said the last part with mischievous glee and the old sage chuckled at her description. Harry, however, did not find it amusing "I refrained from that if you haven't noticed"

"But that doesn't oppose the fact that Hermione-chan noticed the whole thing" Tatsuya said "You passed the first test … Congratulations" Hermione beamed happily, and Tatsuya returned to the sparring ground "Get ready, Harry-kun"

"Why Sensei; she passed the test" Harry protested, and his sensei gave him a scolding look before retorting "She passed the first test only, and your debt is not compensated yet …" he held up his kendo "Let's up the challenge, then, shall we? The fight will be on … Level three"

"WHAT?!" Harry exclaimed "B-But sensei you said not to …"

"Forget about what I said, baka" The old swordsman said assuming his stance, and Harry had no choice but to comply. When both men where ready, Tatsuya cried "Begin!"

At first, Hermione thought that both fighters turned into stone statues when none of them moved an inch, then she felt a strong gust blowing out of nowhere and surrounding both competitors before they vanished.

"What?!" Hermione's eyes widened when she looked at where they were standing; they totally vanished. Seconds later, she heard the clashing of wooden swords.

"They're … Impossibly fast!" she tried to locate them by here eyes, but it was not possible.

"Relax Hermione; it is a test, after all. Concentrate" she breathed out and breathed in for a minute before beginning her tracking.

_'Concentrate …'_ she thought to herself. However, their speed was too fast even for a talented mind such as hers; all what she could see were only silhouettes.

_'Concentrate …'_ slowly, the silhouettes began to clarify and she saw it "Yes …"

--------------------------------------

"You were brilliant in there, Hermione" Harry complimented her when they all gathered for a spot of tea after the test, and Hermione blushed modestly at the complement "You too, Harry. I never believed my eyes when you moved that fast; you were even faster than when I first met you"

"An outcome of a long and hard training …" he retorted in modesty "But that contradict with your brilliance; to be able to harness your powers in such short time … Absolutely brilliant"

"Actually, both of you were brilliant" the old sage said with a smile "Which is expected from a seer and her knight"

"Sorry?" Harry said in confusion, and Tatsuya explained "Through the ages; seers and celestial knights worked together in order to bring peace to earth. Each worked in harmony with the other. Their usual motto was … 'Two are One'"

"Two are One …" Hermione said tasting the words before stating "Not a fancy motto"

"Enough now, children" Tatsuya, not bearing the insult to history, retorted "It is sleep time already"

True … The last training session took about four hours which was enough for the sun to set. The old man got up and went to his room, leaving the younglings alone. Soon, Harry got up to follow his master's advice.

"So …" He said to her "I go to sleep now. Good night"

"Good night" Hermione said to him, and resuming drinking her tea before going to her own room, changing into her nightgown, and getting under the sheets.

However, that day's events were having its toll on her mind, which was still throbbing as a result of the continuous concentration. Her blood also was pumping in excitement and prevented her from sleeping. In the end, she left her room and went to the well for some water, only to find Harry there.

"Harry!!" she exclaimed somewhat loudly causing him to flinch.

"Oh, it's you Hermione" he said holding his chest "Don't do that again" he then blushed when he saw that she was in her pink lace nightie, which exposed more skin than intended. Sometimes he forgot that she was actually a girl before she was his friend.

Lucky to him, she didn't notice the blush under the dim light and because she was giggling at his startle "You couldn't sleep, right?" he shrugged and handed her a cup of water "I see you have the same problem"

"Yeah, well …" she took a sip of water before resuming "Today's training was overwhelming, and I couldn't sleep with all the excitement in my blood. Plus, …" she stopped midway and an irritable look appeared on her face, and Harry urged her to carry on "And …"

"Nothing …" she said with a smile that failed to mask her irritation. He gave her a sympathizing look before completing himself "You are afraid of dreaming, right?!"

She turned around holding her arms tightly; preventing them from shivering when he reminded her of her dark dreams "If you already know, then why do you ask?" she muttered angrily "My dreams aren't actually from happy dreamland"

His looks became more of a pity; he wanted to hug her and blast away all her fears, but being afraid of his feeling exposed refrained him from doing so; moreover, he was afraid of rejection.

"Come on …" he said finally making up his mind and walked to the gates of the garden, she looked at him in confusion before asking "To where?"

"To my dreamland …" he stated vaguely and ushered her to follow him "Come on"

They walked through paths she never walked on before. She also noticed that no footprints appeared on the ground, means that this path was utterly deserted. She looked at Harry in worry and asked him "Harry, where are we really going?"

"You'll see …" he said pushing aside some bushes in front of them, and when he pushed the last bush, she gasped in awe at the brilliant sight before her.

Green hills as what green means, waterfalls as clear as glass, and meadows dancing to the sound of winds; it was so magnificent, so wonderful, so …

"Beautiful …" she whispered in awe, and Harry smiled at her expressions "This is my dreamland, where I rest; body and soul"

She didn't reply his statement, in fact she couldn't; the vista in front of her tied her tongue. She walking beside Harry like a mesmerized person until they reached one of the hills and Harry lied on his back and ushered her to do the same.

"The heavens are shining brightly this night, lucky you" he retorted at her and she giggled joyfully. All her tiredness, all her excitement was blasted away by the mere smell of the dewed grass. They kept silent for a few minute with only their chests moving, then Harry was the first to speak.

"Ya' know, I always play a game in here" he said while chewing a straw, and pointed at the clear sky "Look at these constellations, don't they look similar to you?"

"Like what?" she asked looking at where he pointed but didn't found anything special, so he answered his own question "Sensei's face …"

She looked closely and the stars shaped the ancient face of Tatsuya "Yes, I see it" she said brightly and looked at another constellation "And this is a soaring eagle …" the game continued for some time and names were thrown haphazardly; Johnson scowling, Mayo running, a jug of butterbeer, Fred and George, azure mountain rose, until Harry pointed at a certain constellation.

"And this one looks like something beautiful …" he said and Hermione asked laughing her heart at the game "What is it, then?"

"Your face …" Her laugh died when he said it and was replaced with a blush on her face that matched Harry's. He touched her hand with his, and his head moved slowly across the dewed grass closing to her face. But her head inclining downward alerted him to what he was about to do.

"Sorry …" He muttered faintly cursing himself at his rush; but she smiled at him anyways "No, it's not your fault; it's just …"

"What?" he asked, and she got off her spot wrapping the nightie around her more tightly; she was just afraid to move on, with all those dreams. Frankly, they clearly were not dreams … They were visions.

"It's your dream, isn't it?" Harry said slowly, and her silence was the answer he got "Do not let it control your life, Hermione; you control it …"

She then looked at him; tears appearing in her chocolate-brown eyes "Harry, I am afraid. The dream is dark, terrifying, and most of all, it is unclear"

"Then let's clear it …" he said confidently, and she retorting "How?!"

"If one mind isn't enough to clear it, perhaps two will do the trick …" he said in a puzzled way that confused her, she smiled while explaining "I will lend you my mind …"

"No way!! It is too dangerous" she protested. She knew that she can utilize the power of the other minds in order to strengthen hers, but the consequences on the donor mind would be too risky. Harry, however, had other things in mind.

"I can pull out whenever I feel dangerous, besides" he said with a smile "I underwent the same mental training as you did"

She looked at him uncertain, and his confident smile showered her with confidence at will. She sat in front of him and placed her hands on both sides of his head.

"Ready?" she asked one more time, and he nodded, she then began the process.

She found herself again standing in the long corridor, except this time it was well lit. She ignored the doors on her sides knowing what it contained, and it was not something she longed to see. She went straight to the huge door at the end of the corridor and opened it expecting to find the usual, and it was; the little girl was standing there, and the next moment the dark matter surrounded her.

_"No!"_ she yelled unintentionally although she knew it would happen, then she saw the dark matter surround her too.

"I will not cower … I will not cower" she muttered to herself as she began to shake when the darkness enclosed her, then she saw something she never saw in the original dream; the darkness started to regress as a circle of flames encircled the room. She heard an unhuman shrill cry almost piercing her ears, then it all dissipated when the flames grew around them.

_"What the …"_ she said when she saw the source of the flames; a luminous bird was circling the hall … Precisely, a phoenix.

_"Fawkes!"_ she called happily, but then noticed it was not the same bird; it was another phoenix, a more regal one. She ignored the regal bird and went straight for the main attraction of this vision; the girl itself. When she raised her glance she saw the girl advancing towards her with a confident smile on her face that was awfully familiar.

_"Y-You …"_ Hermione said in a coarse voice before feeling the room spinning around. The next moment she found herself back to the meadows with a very pale Harry kneeling in front of her.

"H-Harry …" she called his name in concern, but he gave her his usual smile when he stated "See … I told you I will pull out when I feel the danger"

"I didn't agree on the method in the first place" she said while helping him sitting up, he dismissed her opinion with a wave of his hand as he asked "So, was it cleared?"

"No …" she blurted quickly; she didn't want to share the newfound knowledge just yet "It was all pitch dark as usual"

Harry frowned at her reply "It was worth a try, anyway" he said trying to justify the pain he was feeling then got up and walked to the path home before ushering her "Let's go home"

She nodded at him and was about to follow him, but before she did so; she looked back at the sky glancing at a particular constellation.

"Regan …" she whispered slowly before following Harry who was at the bushes. She knew why the girl was familiar to her, she was an exact replica if her younger self, except for her eyes … They were brilliant green.

---------------------------------------------

Harry got up the next morning with the most painful headache ever.

"Damn …" she muttered rubbing his head "It's like a hangover after a night of draining fifty firewhiskey bottles" He got off his bed and to the well to fetch some water. Unfortunately for him, he fetched nothing but mud.

"Blast it!" he bellowed this time throwing the pail away "This is definitely not my day …"

He picked up the thrown pain along with another one; the well needed refilling in the worst day. He walked on the path to the nearest spring carrying both pails and muttering gibberish. When he reached the spring, he jumped in directly not noticing that someone was already there.

"Hey!!" a scream came from behind him; and he winced at the piercing sound and looked around only to find Hermione wrapping a towel around herself giving him a scolding look.

"H-Hermione!! I-I'm sorry; I-I haven't noticed" she tried to apologized, but she raised a hand and stopped him.

"Turn around" She ordered him and he weakly complied, the next thing he felt himself drenched in water.

"That's for being a pervert …" she added before she walked home giggling all the way. Harry rolled his eyes and sat down on the edge of the spring "Definitely not my day …"

After a long, relaxing bath and filling the buckets, he returned home only to find an unexpected scene; Taka was crying on Hermione's shoulder while Tatsuya was smoking his pipe in nervousness.

"What took you so long, baka?" the old man scolded him when he noticed his return.

"I was tired so I took a bath …" Harry justified his lateness but was stopped midway by hi sensei's signal "Not time for that; there's a problem …"

"What?! What happened?!" he asking as panic grew within him; and Taka answered his question "Mayo-chan is … Mayo-chan is …"

"What?! Has something happened to Mayo-chan?!" He asked her shaking her gently for more information, but her grief overcame her. So Hermione took over.

"Mayo disappeared this morning. She was supposed to return with groceries, but never came back" Hermione said in sadness, and Harry looked at her in shock.

"I want you to go and look for her, Harry-kun" Tatsuya ordered firmly "Never get back without her"

Harry nodded at him and went inside to fetch his sword before rushing to the village. Hermione took the crying mother inside and went straight to the doors.

"And what do you think you're doing, Hermione-chan?" The elder seer questioned calmly while standing in her way, and she looked at him in resolve "I want to go and look for her, too"

She waited for him to stop her. Surprisingly, he did not; instead, he moved away from the door "Go, but do not get into trouble" she thanked him hastily and rushed outside not see him or hear him muttering "The wheel is moving …"

------------------------------------

Hermione went straight to Akuma no Mori for she noticed something moving there when she returned from the springs. She walked into the forest and made a few turns before finding herself lost again.

"Oh, great …" she muttered to herself "Now I'm lost; good job, Hermione" she continued walking anyway, until she felt movement around her.

"Who's there …" she called, but no answer was given; seconds later, the innocent face of Mayo appeared from behind a tree.

"Oh, Mayo-chan; you scared me …" Hermione said holding her chest, and the little girl looked at her "Hermione Niichan, I saw my father"

"What?! Where?!" the older woman asked in surprise, and Mayo pointed at the mist region "There …"

"That is a dangerous place, Mayo-chan" Hermione stated "And you maybe saw an illusion; let's go home …"

"No! I want to see father" the little girl bellowed in an unusual manner and Hermione had to gagged her.

"Don't scream, you don't know what would appear in this cursed forest" she then released her and gave her a reassuring smile "Alright, we will go there and observe only, then we will go home"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically and jogged in front of Hermione, who felt that something was wrong but didn't know what. Minutes later, they were at the borders of the mist region.

"See … No one is there" Hermione said pointing at the mist, and Mayo insisted "No, he's there" and she rushed to the mist.

"No!! Mayo!!' Hermione cried and ran after her. Unfortunately, her stamina was not as vast as the little girl's.

_'Why is doing this? This is so unusual of her…'_ Hermione thought and couldn't help but to feel that something was odd. Then it hit her like a bullet to the brain.

'Mayo never saw her father; she was too young to remember his face' the train of thoughts ran through her mind _'Besides, …'_

"You never been able to say my name correctly …" Hermione said cautiously looking at the girl who stopped dead in her tracks "Who are you?!"

The girl didn't answer; instead, she turned around and gave Hermione the most impassive stare she's ever saw; that is before the face itself melt as if acid was poured on it.

"What the …!!" The stunned Hermione said when she saw what happened, before eyeing the creature that appeared from beneath the masquerade. It was not a human; frankly, it was not alive at all.

"A-a zombie!!" she yelled fearfully eyeing the undead creature, which stared back coldly. Actually, she nearly guessed what it was. It was not a zombie; it was something far worse … An inferius.

"Get back!!" She said throwing whatever she got her hands on before regaining her rational thinking _'What are you doing, silly; use your mind'_

Hermione smiled mischievously before muttering "Oh, I'll use it … Literally" she pointed a finger at the advancing creature and spoke loudly "Whatever you are, I warn you not to take another step …"

The inferius, as expected, never heeded her words and kept advancing. She then held her hands together and muttered "So be it …"

The inferius was suddenly lifted off the ground by an invisible force, then his body was stretched forcibly. Bing already dead, it did not feel any pain during the stretch; and Hermione parted her hand causing the stretched body to dissipate in a matter of seconds.

"Well, that was easy …" she congratulated herself before feeling some king of warmth under her nose. She touched the spot only to feel the thick blood that was oozing from her nose.

"My power is taking its toll …" she muttered to herself "I should not use them for some time"

She then felt another presence in from of her, which appeared after a few seconds, another inferius "Well, scratch the last part"

She prepared for another mind release, but saw another one of those creatures appearing from the mist, and another one, and another one … Apparently, it was an army of inferi.

"Oh God …" she said in terror "I cannot handle all those myself" she began tossing rocks and pushing them back all by her telekinetic powers, before she felt exhausted. She retreated slowly. Then suddenly, a hand came out of the ground and clutched her leg.

"Aaahhh!!" she jolted upwards and stomped the hand before retreating to a nearby tree. She was completely surrounded.

"Oh God!!" she cried again as one of inferi neared her. So, she closed her eyes and waited for the sticky end, but all what she heard was a faint moan and a loud thud. She opened her eyes in confusion and knew the reason of the thud. Frankly, not a creature can fight with a fire arrow stuck in its head.

"Harry …" she whispered in relief; her aid came in a form of a young handsome swordsman. Harry jumped off the tree he was standing on and slashed through the bodies of the walking dead until he reached Hermione.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" he asked her while eyeing the advancing horde, and she replied fearfully "Yes … Thank God you came in"

"Where are still not out so keep praying …" he said while slashing another inferius, then he suddenly held Hermione by the waist.

"Hey!" she protested at his move, and her retorted hastily "Sorry, no time for being tactful" he then jumped with her to a clear ground.

"Watch it; they can come out of ground" Hermione warned him, and he replied while sheathing his sword "I know, the one that trick Mayo by impersonating you did the same thing …"

He un-holstered his wand, which seemed unusual to Hermione, he then waved his wand and before her eyes, a ring of fire encircling both of them.

"Only light and fire can defeat their darkness …" He explained his motive to perform the spell, and Hermione saw the results herself. The inferi began to cower at the sight of fire and dug into the ground.

"They went down …" Hermione said desperately, but Harry smiled at her and retorted in confidence "Where I want them to be …"

He took few steps forward before holstering his wand and stating in confidence "Good, all the egg is in one basket … Time to make the omelet" she wanted to ask the meaning of this, but her tongue was tied at what she saw; Harry's palm was glowing.

"Shake it!!" he delivered an ultra powerful punch to the ground that caused Hermione to take refuge in a nearby tree. Several cracks formed on the ground and a muffled moaning was heard.

"Are-are they dead?" she asked breathlessly, and Harry retorted "Technically, they are already …" then both of his palms glowed white before he pushed them to the ground with his trademark incantation "_Offendo Maxima_"

The earth trembled again and shined white before several blood stains appeared. He stepped back slowly and muttered "Now, they are truly dead"

"You're great, Harry!!" Hermione said while rushing towards him, but he stopped her with a signal of his hand "The main composer and director of this play is not out yet"

"What?" she questioned confusingly, and Harry gave her a meaningful look "Didn't you get it, Hermione. It was all a play to lure us into this place"

"_Most expected of you, Harry Potter_" A hissing sound rang through the place that only Harry understood.

"_Get out to the light, you coward_" Harry said in the same hissing voice that caused Hermione to shiver "Harry, what's going on?" the answer came to her as a huge black snake with yellow eyes that appeared from inside the mist.

"_Who are you calling coward, mortal?_" the snaked hissed again in what actually was parseltongue. Hermione shrieked in horror at the sight while Harry stood his ground bravely "_You are the coward who is sending his goons to attack us in his stead_"

"_It is for your own sake that I didn't attack myself, potter_" the giant serpent retorted "_The dark lord wants you for himself, or else you won't be standing here talking freely_"

"_Your dark lord is dead …_" Harry spat "_Just like what you will be soon_"

"_You dare to challenge my, Great Serpent of Akuma_" The snake at the top of its voice, causing Hermione to flinch and hold the tree with dear life. Harry, however, did not budge and welded his sword "_I do …_" and the battle ensued.

The snake was fast despite its size; Harry was only able to dodge its attack at first, then he found an opening and stroke with his sword. Surprisingly, the sword didn't even cause the tiniest scratch.

"_You cannot hurt me with that mortal weaponry of yours. To you, I am invincible_" the serpent laughed maliciously before shutting up when seeing the ignited sword "_You are not …_"

He slashed hard and strong causing an angry scream coming out of the snakes mouth "_Magic through a blade … Impossible_"

"_I'm tired of people underestimating me_ …" Harry said "_Here comes another helping_"

He attacked swiftly as usual, but the serpent, now knowing what's happening, retreated quickly and attacked head on. Harry tried to strike the head, but the snake was faster than him, it caught the sword midway by its mouth and snapped it in half.

"No!!" Harry yelled in shock holding one piece of his sword, while the snake swallowed the other "_Now you're weaponless_"

"No I'm not …" Harry yelled in human tongue before turning to the horrified Hermione "Hermione, I need your help"

"I-I can't …" Hermione whispered in a mesmerized tone, and Harry ignored her daze and stated while dodging an attack "I want you to give me some ground so I can reach its head"

"I-I can't" Hermione said again, and Harry yelled at her "Yes, you can. Two are One, remember?"

"Two are One …" the words rang into Hermione's head; it was the motto of the seer/knight due. The next moment, the dazed look on her face was replaced with a determined one, and she nodded at Harry "Ready when you are, Harry"

Harry smiled at her and dodged another attack before crying "Now!!" he jumped at high speed reaching an extraordinary height, but it was not enough to reach the head as indicated by his decline.

"Now! Jump, Harry!" Hermione yelled at him when she levitated a huge rock at his level. Harry used the rock as a new ground to jump from and reached the head of the serpent in a matter of seconds.

"_Diffindo_" Harry cast the spell injuring the right eye of the black serpent which screamed in a mix of pain and anger.

"_Now you've done_" The serpent said maliciously shaking its head up and down in intent to drop Harry who was clutching with dear life. Finally, he could not hold on for long and flew upwards before the snaked swallowed him in an instant.

"HARRY!!" Hermione screamed in terror as she eyed her raven haired friend being gulped down as a mouthful of food. She then turned white as the snaked turned towards her "_Now, time for dessert_"

"I'm not done yet!!" a muffle sound came from inside the snake that looked at its belly in astonishment "_What the …_"

"_Explodia_" the usual reddish purple light appeared on the snakes belly soon after the incantion was said. Seconds later, the snake was torn in half as the exploding curse shot through its belly. Harry dropped down the ground with blood and mucus dripping off him.

"Harry!!" Hermione jumped at him not caring for the blood or the mucus; he certainly saved the day … Again.

"Watch it, Hermione" he said brushing some of the blood off him "I was literally at someone's throat"

"Frankly, you proved to be hard to digest" she retorted slyly and both of them laughed. Then Hermione remembered something.

"Harry, while we're at it, can we look for the missing scroll?" she stated "And perhaps something to prove Taka's husband redemption?"

Harry did not find the idea bad, especially after relieving the forest of its taint. They walked through the now- dissipating mist until they were welcomed with the sight of an altar. Harry looked closely at an altar, and saw a skeleton leaning back at it, and it was holding a tattered pouch.

"Ryo …" He muttered in a low voice and Hermione nodded in approval. They reached the altar and Harry took the pouch off the skeleton's grasp causing it to collapse before handing it to Hermione.

"Now, for the scroll …" he said pushing the altar open while Hermione praying for him to be right. They glanced inside the opened altar and saw an old dusty parchment placed in it.

"Is it …?" Hermione asked in suspense, and Harry handed her the opened scroll while muttering "I said it already; this is not my day …"

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_**A/N:**_ This chapter is done, I hope you liked it. And I hope you were satisfied with the side-quest I wrote. However, it was a side-quest only, the real quest hasn't begun yet.

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaase


	5. Fog of War

_**Disclaimer:**_ Don't own anything that Rowling owns.

_**A/N:**_ Sorry for the slow update, but I have my own personal reasons, and there's nothing else to say, just read and judge.

* * *

**Fog of War**

"Without Pain, No Knowledge is Gained …" Tatsuya read the words that was written in the scroll for his disappointed students. Harry, who was the more disappointed of the two, grumbled a bit soundly.

"So … No Pain, No Gain. What's so special about it?" he asked acidly earning him a disapproving look from Hermione. Tatsuya, however, did not heed the rudeness of his student as he retorted coolly "We all know it, yes; but only a few of us put those words into action" he drew a breath from his pipe before resuming "Without pain, a mother wouldn't have delivered her child. Without pain, wounds wouldn't have been noticed" then he looked at Harry meaningfully "Without pain, you wouldn't have been that strong"

"Without pain, we wouldn't have met …" Hermione took the cue understanding what her mentor meant "Without pain, I wouldn't have discovered my abilities. And without pain …" she looked at Harry meaningfully "Two definitely won't be One"

"Excellent, Hermione-kun …" the old sage complimented his bushy-haired disciple before turning to the other "At least someone here understood me"

Harry grumbled again and they could hear him mumbling 'Definitely not my day' under his breath. Tatsuya ignored him again and carried on with his lecture "

Harry grumbled again and they could hear him mumbling _'Definitely not my day'_ under his breath. Tatsuya ignored him again and carried on with his lecture "This idiom is not just some fancy writing; it teaches to endure the pain in order to gain glory and not to rely on easy shortcuts"

"Sometimes shortcuts can be useful, ya' know; by beating the enemy to the goal and all" Harry retorted, and Tatsuya looked at him with a confident smile and replied "And can you tell what will happen when you reach the goal before the enemy but found that the information you gained about him is almost nothing"

Harry gave his sensei and irritated look as he mumbled nonsense, and Tatsuya commented on his own statement "The goal is not just to reach the door, but to have its key. And the key is obtained along the way … Through knowledge"

"But, sensei …" Hermione interjected "You said that knowledge cannot be gained without the pain felt. How can we accomplish such goal with this obstacle? Can't we avoid this pain?"

The old sage shook his head at his student's question "Alas, my child; pain cannot be avoided if you want to gain knowledge. Pain actually is what distinguishes life from the afterlife. It is the toll that must be paid for us to gain experience; sometimes pain itself is the knowledge that we should experience, which we call hardships"

Both younglings started to get interested in the lecture, and Tatsuya pulled another puff from his pipe before continuing "The point I want to emphasize is when you come to a moment when you choose between paths, do not think 'Which is the shortest path?', instead, ask yourself 'Which is the right path?'" another puff was drown from the pipe "This decision is what will make your life; either you will reach the goal …" he gave them a meaningful look "Or you will be another Kazama Ryo …"

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks when they heard their sensei's words before looking back at him without a word uttered. Tatsuya took that as understanding and carried on "That's all what I wanted to say. Speaking of Ryo, I think you have another task yet unfulfilled …"

He glanced at the tattered bad then looked back at his students who nodded in understanding. Harry got up and picked up the bag before ushering Hermione to follow him.

Minutes later, they where standing in front of Hagane's house. Hermione looked at Harry who gave her an encouraging nod before she knocked the door. They only waited for a minute before they saw the face of Taka.

"Harry-kun! Hermione-chan! Please come in …" Taka saw as her face brightened when she saw the couple. However, they didn't comply with her request and maintained serious face as Hermione spoke.

"Taka-chan, there is something we need to give back to you …" The bushy-haired woman said in what seemed an odd tone to Taka, who smiled nervously as she retorted "What thing, Hermione-chan? You never took anything from me …"

"This thing …" Harry said abruptly revealing the tattered pouch to her, and the Taka's eyes widened in surprise as she recognized this very pouch. Her eyes switched from surprise to concern when she ushered them inside "Come in, please …"

When they sat down in the living room, Taka was the first to talk "This- … This pouch is Ryo's if I'm not mistaken" they both nodded in agreement, and the young mother hesitated for a second before speaking again "May I ask where did you find it?"

"In a Akuma no Mori …" Hermione answered immediately causing Taka to eye her in astonishment "Along with his remains …"

The last part was Harry's addition who received a scolding look from Hermione when she saw the results of these words; at first, Taka's body gave a shiver before her head incline in despair.

"So, it is true …" The young widow said in a low voice "He is truly dead. I know I told you that he was, but part of me was still hanging to the last thread of hope. His body was not found and I thought maybe he found a way to escape that death trap; maybe …" her grief took hold of her and she couldn't complete sentence; Harry and Hermione respected her silence. After a few minutes she gloomily extended a hand towards Harry "May I …?"

He handed her the worn out pouch bowing slightly as he did so "I apologize, Taka-chan …" he said "I had to open it to make sure that nothing harmful is inside"

She smiled faintly at him before retorting "Daijubou, Harry-kun. I know it cannot be helped; being the village's guardian and all …"

Hermione looked at him in astonishment "Guardian?!" he flashed a smile and retorted "Unofficially …" he then looked back at Taka who had just opened the pouch.

"I remember when I used to prepare this pouch for him" she said in a reminiscing tone "And each time I feared it would be the last …" she shuffled through the contents with a nostalgic look in her eyes; a magic wand, a set of pens, a lunch box, and finally, a diary.

"He used to write down all his adventures and observations in this very diary …" she said while leafing through the book. Then suddenly, an envelope flew out of one of the pages.

"What's this?!" Picking up the letter, she wandered loudly, only to be astonished when she read what's written on the outside … To Taka.

"It's addressed … To me" she snapped out of astonishment with this whisper before she opened the letter and began to read it.

_**Dear Taka**_

_When you read this, it means that I'm already dead. But please don't mourn my passing, for my death was the only way I could repent for the sins I committed._

_I loved Matsurumi Village; I really did; even if this love got twisted in the end. Everything I did was for the sake of this village; I traveled day and night all over the island just to make it thrive. Even when I sold my soul to that dark lord with his faux promises I did to for this village … Our Village._

_I beg you not to say it was wrong; I already know that. My love for the village was right; my concern for its future was right, but my methods were wrong … Due to my foolishness, the once peaceful Yamahata Forest was turned into a nest of death. Due to my blind ambitions, the grove deemed sacred was tainted with evil; the place where all of our people looked to for hop; the place where we used to play at when we were children; the place where you and I declared our love for each other … I've tainted it all._

_Day and night I thought of a way to cleanse the forest of that evil, and I thought of one way only; to face it myself. I trained vigorously hoping to overpower that abomination; I stayed up for many nights devising ways to trick it into the traps I imagined. And only after all that I felt prepared for the worst._

_I do not care if the people still thought of me as a traitor; I caused them enough trouble already and I don't want to push them into accepting my attempt of redemption. However, there is but one person I caused him immense pain that I terribly regret … This person is you, Taka._

_Before I say goodbye, there is one more request I would like to ask from you; this very diary you are holding in your hand, it contains detailed knowledge of what happened during and after the arrival of the dark lord. Please hand it to Mayo when the time comes so that she knows who her father was and how he tried to redeem himself._

_That's all what I want to see … Sayonara, my love._

_**Aishetirou**_

_**Ryo**_

By the time Taka finished reading the letter, she was already reduced to sobs; tears where flowing freely from her onyx eyes onto the letter which she was clutching.

"Baka …" She said suddenly "If you truly loved me, then why have you died, baka?"

Hermione's eyes where red as she was too on the brink of tearing them when she saw her female friend in this broken down state, while Harry was just sitting calmly with eyes closed and his arms held in front of his chest. After minutes of sobbing, Taka got hold of herself and brushing the last of her tears before bowing to Harry and Hermione.

"Thank you, Harry-kun, Hermione-chan; this diary will help me redeem my husband's reputation …" she said in a voice that still had a hint of her recent sobbing, and Harry smiled calmly at her "Not at all, Taka-chan; all what we did was delivering what actually belonged to you …" they then excused themselves and left the griefing widow.

On the way home, Hermione's mind was still thinking of that man's story "It's a pity that such man died …" she said "Family man, strong-willed, and adventurer"

"The former and the latter cannot co-exist; one of them must prevail …" Harry retorted "And to us adventurers, Death awaits us on every bend. For that, we must be ready for it"

They continued on walking with Hermione thinking about his words. Then out of the blue, she did something even unexpected … She kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for …?" Harry, who practically jumped in his place as a result from the kiss, asked in a hoarse voice.

"Well, being an adventurer, Death might take you away from me before I can repay you for saving my life … For that umpteenth time" She replied while turning away her face so that he won't notice the blush that crept to her cheeks. Harry was not in a better state either; his face was burning red as a result of the recent physical contact, and he said in the said hoarse voice "Please tell me wait you are planning before doing it again" Hermione looked at him coyly before turning away again.

_'You don't know what you are doing deep down inside of me …'_ Both of them thought at the same time while oblivious to each other, then Harry thought when he noticed something _'Did she just say 'Away from me'?'_

The walk continued without much to mention, but this little 'incident' was not forgotten …

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Days have passed, and the once long month of training has finished. It was somewhat sad though, or that what Hermione thought at least. She sighed for the umpteenth time before packing up the last of her clothes and giving the room one more glance; in this very room she experienced many different things, some were bad, and the others were good, and it was so hard for her to believe that she would leave it very soon.

"Well, nothing lasts forever …" She said and picked up her suitcase before leaving the room. When she reached outside, she saw that Harry was waiting for her along with their sensei.

"Took your time back their, eh?" Harry teased her and she pouted at him "It's hard, you know; I lived there for a month. It's natural that I developed a bond to this place"

"And this bond will exist as long as you visit this village once in a while, so don't just ignore it …" Tatsuya smiled and retorted "You are always welcomed here"

Hermione beamed at him and bowed slightly "Thank you, sensei" Harry stretched out of boredom and motioned her to move "Let's go already …" he turned away from them and Hermione followed him. However, before they took their first steps Tatsuya cleared his throat soundly gaining back their attention.

"There are a couple of things I want to give you before you go …" The old sage said while taking up a covered object off his side "The first thing is to this baka who forgets about the trivial matters. It's a miracle that you did not forget you head somewhere …"

Hermione giggled at Harry whose head was steaming with barely suppressed anger, but this anger was turned surprise when he caught the object that was thrown at him "Your sword …"

"H-How …?" Harry stuttered when he saw the condition of his once-smote sword; it was as good as new.

Tatsuya stretched his lips in disappointment "Not using your head, baka; as always …" he said to his young disciple "You always forget that before I became a sage, I was and still a swordsmith"

"B-But that snake snapped it in half and shattered the rest, and …" Harry stammered a bit before smiling in awe "That is brilliant, sensei"

"Oh, thank you, Harry-kun …" the old sage retorted coolly before pointing a finger at him "However, your compliment will not save you from the reproof"

Harry's face turned from awe to confusion to realization and finally to annoyance in a brilliant shift when he knew what his sensei meant "Not that lecture again …"

"Shut up, baka, and do please enlighten me …" Tatsuya cut him off "I believe I told you a certain concept about swords"

Harry rolled his eyes in boredom and straightened him self for a speech he repeated a hundred times. Hermione, on the other hand, was amused by the scene and felt some kind of familiarity with the scene, like when her father used to reprimand her for doing wrong.

Harry took a deep breath before speaking the words "The sword is the soul of the warrior; losing one's sword is losing one's life" he spoke in a bored tone mimicking his sensei's way of speech, but Tatsuya never bothered to heed him as he clapped his hands in more cool "Subarashi, subarashi. Now let's move to gift number two, which is for you, Hermione-chan"

Hermione's amusement was replaced with surprise when she heard the words of her sensei who summoned her gift from his polishing table "Sensei!" she exclaimed in shock "This is Ichizawa; your-your …"

"Yes, my favorite sword …" he completed her sentence and handed her the sword with a smile "A suitable gift for my favorite student"

Hermione accepted the sword in appreciation and unsheathed it slowly only to be hit with awe as the sunlight shined upon the white blade resulting in a brilliant glitter. While Tatsuya carried on with his speech.

"Five feet four, light-weight Okinawan steel, and a handle with core covered in dragon scales" he described the sword's traits to her and commented "Off course you cannot use magic, so the handle with the dragon scale core will be of no use to you" then he added in his mind _'Yet …'_

Hermione eyed the sword in awe before sheathing it and looking at her master in question "But sensei, this is your number one sword. Why are you giving it to me?"

"A reasonable question indeed; and the answer is just so simple … It's a tradition" Tatsuya stated with a smile. But when he noticed the confused look of his students' faces, he explained "I already told you before about the seer/knight duo, and the knight's duty to protect the seer …" he turned around and walked towards the polishing table "However, I did not tell you that the seer, in the extreme situations, can fend off the attackers all by herself …"

The young disciples were astonished by the statement, and Tatsuya picked up one of the polished swords before continuing "Sometimes the knight cannot reach the seer in time, especially when they are overpowered by the enemy; so it's up to the seer to defend herself and her comrades" he unsheathed the sword slowly eyeing the shiny surface before sheathing it again and pointing at Ichizawa "Why do you think I place this sword is a special place? That is because it is the only sword I never made; it was handed down to me by the previous seer, my master"

"Handed down to you …" Hermione said pondering into the sword before asking "How old is the sword, sensei?"

He smiled at her "I knew you would ask this question …" he said "This sword was made ages ago by the guild of smiths for the Grand Seer of Nippon. Every swordsmith put his heart and soul into the perfection of the sword until it became this …" he pointed at the sword in her grasp "The seer never got parted with her sword, not even in the stickiest times. She fought like a true warrior, and her enemies thought twice before attacking her head-on …"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other, the same question was spinning in both of their heads, and Harry was the first to ask "Sensei, if the seer was as strong as you say, then what the purpose of having a knight protect her is for?"

The elder sage smiled calmly before stating "You failed to get the concept then, Harry-kun" he said "And I forgot to mention one important thing. You see, the Grand Seer never excelled in the art of dueling by using physical force, but by performing illusion spells through the sword. A natural enchantress and a master illusionist, she had the upper hand in the duel" he raising a finger in alert "However, when the opponent shows an aptitude of seeing through these illusions, it is then when the knight should intervene …"

He looked at Harry with his arms crossed in front of his chest "Agile, daring, and deadly; the wielder of the Phoenix Katana had the upper hand in battle and was feared by his opponents … And still" he said the last word with a meaningful look directed at Harry. Then he summoned the two swords, Ichizawa and Gryffindor's Katana, out of their sheaths and into his hands grabbed them.

"For many centuries and under several people, all of which are seers and knights, these two swords served efficiently earning them the title that was more renowned than their users themselves …" with the swords crossed in front of his chest, he continued "The Twin Blades …"

Hermione was fascinated by the story, her eyes showed that. Harry's eyes, however, showed the contrary.

"Well, nice story … And quite charming, too" The green-eyed swordsman said never bothering to hide his disinterest; which Hermione found quite rude to their sensei "May we have our swords back now, please?"

"Harry … Be respectful of sensei a bit, will you?" Hermione said in disapproval of his way of speaking, but Tatsuya waved shook his head negatively while handing them the swords back "Never mind, Hermione-chan, I am used to his crudeness. He is what you brits say _'A pain in the arse'_"

Harry looked at his sensei and the now-giggling Hermione in disbelief before grabbing his sword irritably and shooting away from them "Hermione, let's move on …"

"_Broken Twice, Doom in thrice …_" Tatsuya said suddenly causing Harry to halt and turn in annoyance "And what the bloody does that me-" he bellowed in anger while turned back toward his sensei, but was cut midway by the serious look on his ancient face. It was not a joke, it was something more serious, it was …

"A vision …" Hermione muttered earning her a confused look from Harry "This verse … It's a vision, isn't it?"

Tatsuya didn't answer. However, his face showed a hint of satisfied smile before turning grim again "Harry-kun, be careful …"

Harry exchanged a meaningful look with his sensei as he understood the meaning of this vision. He then nodded slightly before turning away from the place "Hermione, off we go …"

He walked away with Hermione beside him leaving Matsurumi village yet again and off to their second home …

-----------------------------------------

"America …" Hermione said smelling the air of Los Angeles as they walked out of the apparodrome "It's hard to say I missed it after visiting that heavenly village"

Harry chuckled at her remark before stating himself "I told you so when we first arrived there, remember? It's quite hard to leave behind the greenery, the fresh air, the tranquility …"

"Please stop you are only making it worse" she said muffling her ears twisting her face in regret and "I began to miss the village already" he laughed at her and commented jeeringly "I just hope that you didn't miss anything else; like the forest, for example …"

She pouted at him "Out of all the memories there, you only remember this hideous one?!" he laughed at her annoyance while walking away, and then she remembered something and muttered with a mischievous smile "But thanks to you Potter for reminding me of this"

She walked beside him without a word said glancing at him every now and then as if looking for the perfect time to do what she'd ever want to do. And there it was; he was looking around at the shops giving her no heed, so she gathered all the courage she can get and prepared to do it.

Harry, oblivious to whatever she was concocting for him, was looking around indeed. But his main interest was not the shops; it was the aurors, or to be precise, the lack of them.

_'One, two … Five aurors'_ He thought _'And there are not two aurors with each other. This is definitely not the Emergency state I left them in, unless …'_

He was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't notice Hermione leaning at him aiming for his face; and when turned toward her, he saw and felt the last thing he'd ever think of.

She placed a kiss on his cheek causing him to halt in astonishment. However, the one who was most astonished of them was Hermione herself, for the kiss was mistakenly placed near the side of his mouth, dangerously near …

_'Damn …'_ she thought with her cheeks burning red _'That was not in the plan'_ her mind was as wild as the blush on her face, but still not the same as Harry whose face was now turning crimson.

"W-What was that all about, Hermione?" He asked finally in hoarse tone and the blush on her face deepened as she murmured the answer "Y-You reminded me that I didn't thank you properly for saving from the forest, and … Well … I couldn't think of a better way to say thank you" she looked up at him before turning away her face coyly when she saw the way he looked at her; smiling with slight astonishment.

"Don't look at me that way, Harry; it's embarrassing already" she said looking away to avoid showing her deepened blush before she walked away from him. Harry looking at her in amazement yet some uneasiness appeared in his eyes.

'Either she is getting bold, or I'm the one who's cowering' He thought to himself before sighing 'Either way, it is not in my favor' he then followed her into the bustling crowd of the alley.

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An hour of walking passed with only few remarks about the changes in the alley before they reached a suitable site of apparition, from where they disapparated to the alley near Harry's flat. They walked into the building and toward the flat with Hermione taking a nostalgic breath of the cozy building.

"That sure is an adorable smell …" she said when they reached the flat. Harry, however, had other ideas.

"Well, I smell something else …" he said after checking under the entrance matt and picking up bits of mashed biscuit "A trap …"

Her heart fell when he said the last word, and she saw him sliding the sword out slightly with his thumb and slowly opening the door. Suddenly, someone jumped out from behind the door onto Harry, wand in hand, but what happened afterwards left both Hermione and the attacker utterly shocked.

As the attacker approached Harry, he turned around grabbing and twisting the attacker's wand arm until the tip of the wand touched his back, and with a swift move he pulled out his sword and placed the sharp edge under his chin. With these simple but fast moves, Harry turned the situation upside-down; Harry had the upper hand while the attack was now covered by both his own wand and Harry's katana. He turned around facing Harry with a pale face before smiling "Wotcher, Harry …"

"Hello, Tonksie …" Harry replied while relieving the attacker, who was none other than the pink-head auror "If I didn't notice your bright pink hair on the last second, my flat would've been now sprayed in red"

"Still the vigilant bloke, eh mate?" Someone spoke from inside, and Harry turned to the source only to notice that it was Ron, so he shrugged with a faint smile "It's not harmful to be alert a bit. And by the way, try to be more discrete when you 'sneak' into my flat next time …" he retorted and threw the piece of biscuit on the table "Biscuits are crispy, ya' know"

"Alert a bit …" Tonks muttered while shaking her head "You know, if Mad-Eye saw what you just did, he would be jumping in glee"

Harry chuckled at her remark before remembering something; he looked at the front door and saw Hermione was still there looking at them in confusion.

"Oh Hermione, I'm sorry I forgot about you; I was totally taken by this happy reunion …" he grabbed her hand and pulled her inside introducing her to Tonks "This is Hermione Granger; my friend and partner in 'Potter Investigations' and all the adventures that followed my coming to America"

"Wotcher Hermione …" Tonks greeted her with her trademark greeting, and Harry carried on "Hermione, This is …"

"Tonks …" Hermione suddenly interrupted him, and the three aurors looked at her in surprise.

"H-How did you know?" Tonks stuttered, and Hermione smiled calmly "I saw you before … Somewhere"

The answer caused only more confusion to them save Harry, who knew what she was talking about. He carried on with the introduction "Hermione, this is Nymphadora Tonks, Ouch!!" he rubbed the sore on his head while glaring at pink-head auror "Clearly, she doesn't like to be called by her first name, so just call her Tonks for your own safety"

"Nice to meet you Tonks …" Hermione said extending a hand which Tonks accepted in appreciation, and Harry continued "She's a Senior Auror Second Class, and the Director of Law Enforcement & Auror Force, Ministry of Magic, UK"

"Well, scratch the last part, I'm not a director anymore …" Tonks said eyeing Harry's surprise in satisfaction. He raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked "Why?! What happened?!"

"Before I answer this question I have one for you myself …" she said coolly before blowing up suddenly "WHERE THE BLOODY HAVE YOU BEEN FOR A WHOLE MONTH?!"

Hermione flinched at the sudden outburst. Harry, however, only leaned his torso back as a result of the yelling and rubbed his ear coolly before retorting "Good to see you again, Tonks"

"Shut up and answer the bloody question!" Tonks snapped again and her hair turned from usual pink to grades of red causing Hermione a sudden shock.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that she's a metamorphmagus …" the raven-haired man said as he tidied himself then addressed Tonks again "As for your question, I went to a personal trip. now it's your turn …"

Tonks frowned at him "Pretty cheeky … Fine, this is my answer" she handed him the sealed letter which he accepted in wonder. After tearing it off and reading the content, Hermione saw an annoyed look appearing in his eyes.

"Now, that's troubling …" he said before igniting the letter with an incendio spell and Tonks asked in a worry "So, What will you do, Harry?"

Harry didn't answer her directly. Instead, he gave it a deep thought before looking at Hermione with a smile "I think you're tired from the journey, Hermione. You could use some resting for now" then he looked at his two comrades "As for us, it is an urgent meeting at the headquarters …"

---------------------------------------

Half an hour later, the three aurors were standing in the IAST hideout with the other three aurors; Vlad, Dick, and Sofia escorting them in, especially their renowned leader, Harry.

"It's good to see you again, sir" Vlad greeted him with his usual stern face and Harry smiled back at him "It's sure been a long time, Vlad" then he looked at the other two "And how is our young duo?"

"We're fine, sir …" Both aurors replied in unison with Harry smiling at them before noticing something "I feel there is something new in here …"

"Why don't you find out yourself?" Ron retorted with a vague smile causing Harry to raise an eyebrow in wonder. He looked around the room then at his subordinates, then he noticed it; a golden ring was in the hands of Dick and Sofia.

"Well, that's surprising …" he said in amusement "Are you two …"

"Just engaged for now …" Ron said coolly "But yes, they have future plans" then he muttered lowly "_Unlike someone here who doesn't_"

The last statement earned Ron a clod stare from Harry who heard it clearly, then the latter turned back to the young couple with a bright smile "I think congratulations are in order …" he said tapping both aurors on the back "However, right now we're a bit busy, so it will be postponed for now" he pointed at Ron and Tonks before resuming "My Comrades and I have an urgent meeting; feel free to do anything but please do not disturb us"

"Yes, sir" the three aurors saluted him before leaving to their posts, and Harry and his two comrades went to the leader's office. When they were all seated, he ushered Tonks to begin talking.

"Okay, tell me what happened during my absence in England …" he said to her and she cleared her throat before beginning to tell the tale. She told them everything from the moment of her meeting with Minister Bones through the other meeting with Minister Malone until she came here to the IAST headquarters.

"… And when I didn't find you here back then I was truly pissed" she said giving Harry a meaningful glare, and Ron raised his hand "I agree with that …"

"This is not the time to discuss personal issues …" Harry retorted coolly "And if you haven't noticed, my journey is one of those personal issues" he then looked at his best mate "It's your turn now, Ron; I want a debrief on Flint's activities since my departure"

"There isn't much to tell, actually …" Ron shifted in his seat as he began to talk "Frankly, there isn't anything to tell; not a single death eater was caught or rather seen by the auror patrols I regularly dispatched during the last moth"

"Not a single one?!" Harry inquired in wonder and Ron nodded "Not even a stray one. The only suspicious activities were apprehended were the usual rogue dark wizards and sympathizers of Voldemort's old reign of terror"

"Rogues and sympathizers …" he muttered while thinking deeply "Not a good reason to request to carry on" he waved the letter of installation with a remark "And the fellow here won't accept less than a report of an evident skirmish"

He leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes with not a single word uttered as if he fell asleep; or at least that's what Tonks thought.

"Harry …" She muttered to him but was stopped by Ron "Don't … He's thinking now"

She looked at him in confusion then at Harry who was still closing his eyes. They waited for whole ten minutes and only after that he opened his eyes and looked at Tonks.

"Do you still have your director pass and seal?" he said earning him more confusion from her "Well … Yes, I do. But what does tha-"

"Good, let's do it then …" He said getting up and walking to the door "Follow me"

Totally confused, both aurors followed him until they reached the surveillance room. They walked into the room and saw Dick doing the routine monitoring before he noticed their entry and got up quickly to salute them.

"At ease Dick …" The raven-haired man ushered him off "I want to ask you something …"

"Your orders, sir" Dick said firmly, and Harry pointed at the computer "Can you hack into the computer network of the Ministry of Magic in London?"

Dick was surprised by the request but answered anyway "Well, if the British network is the same as the one here, then … Yes"

"Good … Do it now" Harry ordered him, and the Intel specialist commenced the task given. However, Tonks and Ron were still not understanding the purpose of this all.

"What in the name of Merlin are you doing, Harry?" Tonks asked him bluntly, and he looked at her with a vague smile "Applying for a vacation …"

"I'm in, sir …" Dick said after only one minute of working, and Harry looked at him in amazement "That fast?!"

"Ministries of Magic all over the world are still new to the age of technology; their security measures are below that of a newbie" Dick explained the whole thing "Now, you want me to do something, sir?"

"Yes, enter the Law Enforcement section, vacation application …" he did as he was told, and the vacation form appeared on the screen. Harry filled out the form before looked at Tonks.

"Now Tonks; your turn. Accept the vacation request please" he said to the purple head, who complied albeit not understanding a thing. When she was done, he turned back to Dick.

"Now I want you to turn the date of the request one month back, and the acceptance date to two weeks back" Harry said with a mischievous smile that matched Ron's when he began to understand the whole matter "You're so wicked, Harry"

"What is it?" Tonks inquired not comprehending the whole ploy yet, and Harry explained "The first thing he will do when he comes here is requesting my return, and I already know that my reasons for staying here are not convincing, so I'm preparing one. In other words, if I can't perform my task while I'm on duty …" he looked at her with a smile "… I will do it while I'm on vacation"

"I see …" Tonks murmured, then chuckled mischievously "So foxy of you, Harry" then shook her and pointed at the printout in his hand "But this paper won't fool anyone; we still give a parchment to the employees, you know"

"Oh, you mean like this" he said with a smile while tapping the paper with his wand, and it turned instantly into a parchment. Tonks gaped at what he did before smiling herself.

"No … Like this" she tapped the parchment herself and the font changed "My handwriting …" then she took out the director's seal and stamped the form "… And my seal"

"Well, thank you for your contribution, Director Tonks" Said Harry with a smile while eyeing the complete form "The only thing left now is meeting your successor"

As if his word triggered something, Vlad came rushing into the room "Sorry to interrupt, sir; but an urgent message came from Minister Malone" he eyed the three aurors with concern "Looks like the new British director is here, and is requesting audience with the leader of the mission"

"Speak of the Devil …" Harry muttered, then smiled at his old comrade "Anyway, it's good to know that I don't have to wait for long. Time to meet the Director …"

--------------------------------------

Few minutes later, the trio was standing inside the Ministry of Magic, precisely in front of the Minister's door. Tonks and Ron looked at Harry in concern, but saw none in his eyes.

"It's amazing that you're not even tense" Tonks said with a weak smile, and the raven shrugged before replying "There's nothing to cause me tension in the first place …" then a naughty smile played on his face as he retorted "But you can that I'm rather anxious to see the look on that old lion's face when I'm done toying with him"

Ron chuckled at his best-mate's yearn for mischief "Typical Harry, can't relax until everything is upside-down …" he then stood formally and asked "So, what do you want up to do?"

"Staying here is out of question since he will conclude that the play is a result of a mutual act, so …" he muttered to himself before looking at them decidedly "You will return to the headquarters and contact Malfoy; he might've got something worth our time, and we need anything that could help us in the search of Flint"

"Consider it done …" Ron said and both of aurors saluted him before heading their way. He took one last deep breath before opening the door to the Minister's office.

"Welcome, Auror Potter. We've been waiting for you" The Minister greeted him and ushered him a seat with he took gracefully.

"Greetings to you too, Minister" He retorted while eyeing the newcomer "I see the new director has graced us with his visit"

"And I see that you are not surprised at all …" The new director retorted back flashing a smile as yellow as his eyes "Or you were already informed of my instatement, eh … Potter?"

"You know that the first and main step to gain victory is information …" Harry replied with a shrug before looking straight in the eyes of the director "Or have already forgotten that … Scrimgeour?"

"It is Director Scrimgeour to you, Auror …" Scrimgeour suddenly snapped at him pointing a warning finger. Harry. However, did not move the slightest as he replied in defiance "And it is Grand Auror to you, Director"

Malone felt the tension fill the thought I did not surprise him, knowing the constant feud between Harry and Scrimgeour when Tonks told him beforehand; so he tried to shift the course of conversation away from this bothersome point.

"Now, now, Director Scrimgeour …" The Minister said to the old man "I thought you told me that you needed to talk with Auror Potter about something"

"Ah, yes …" Scrimgeour said remembering something "Before I came to you, Minister; I dropped by my old friend Director Anderson and he told me some interesting things" he then glanced at Harry and continued "But I would like to hear from our _renowned_ auror here first, so … Auror Potter"

Scrimgeour ushered him to speak and Harry put his hand in his pocket "There is not need to speak …" and he pulled out a parchment "I already prepared a report"

"Humph, you seem quite prepared for this meeting …" the old director said but didn't wait for a reply; he snatched the parchment off Harry's hand and scanned it quickly before a confident smile appeared on his face "Now that's something interesting …"

"What is it, Director?" Malone inquired and Scrimgeour looked at him with the same smile "The situation has been under control across the continent with Flint keeping a low profile for a month and a half until now …" he then looked back at Harry and said "Which means that our high ranking aurors are no longer needed in this country"

_'As expected …'_ The victorious thought echoed in Harry's mind who kept a passive face. Malone, on the other hand, couldn't keep passive with the fact that the brilliant auror would no longer carry on this dangerous mission.

"Director …" The shocked Minster stated "What's the meaning of this?"

"When the emergency state or the Defcon is four or lower, high rank aurors are no longer need and the power of command is transformed from them to middle ranks …" Harry answered the minister himself while keeping his cool posture "In other words, Ron and I have to return to England"

"But Flint is still on the loose!!" the minister bellowed again and Scrimgeour shook his head "He did not attack for more than a month, means that he is either incapacitated or out of the country"

"True, he might be…" Harry approved his director's opinion, much to Malone's surprise, then a smiled played on his face "And that's the reason I don't want to leave here"

"What?! You …" Scrimgeour tried to threaten him again, but another parchment Harry flashed at him prevented him from doing so, and clod sweat formed on his forehead.

"You see, I noticed flint's absence long before you did and requested a vacation since I haven't done so for a long time" he smiled at the new-sweating director before resuming "And you agree with me this Flint-free country is a perfect place to be at, isn't it … Director Scrimgeour?"

Scrimgeour was new shaking in anger; how would a youngling such as Harry outsmart him. However, Malone was the opposite of him; he smiled inwardly not daring to show his true emotions on the surface, but never seized to be amazed at the simple yet brilliant tactic Harry pulled.

_'So, this is the Legendary Harry Potter …'_ he thought with a smile _'Absolutely brilliant'_

Harry kept looking at the angry director for a second before getting up "Well, if you don't need me any longer, then I must leave; I'm on vacation after all" the Minister shook his head "No, that would be all, Auror Potter. Have a nice vacation"

"Thank you, sir" he saluted the minister then turned to the grumbling director and saluted him with a sly smile "See you again, Director …"

------------------------------------

"That's totally boring …" Hermione said with a grumble, she leafed through the magazine half-eyeing the contents while she was lying on her bed "If Harry don't show up in the next hour I might hang myself out of boredom" then she remembered something and glanced at her half-empty bags "Or maybe …"

She sat up and brought her hands together in her usual stance, and an old scroll rose up from inside one of the bags, then it floated toward her smoothly.

"I admit that you're a natural at this …" a sudden voice came from direction of the door causing her to gasp and break the mental link "But it does not mean that you can turn into a sloth"

"Oh, Harry …" she sighed in relief when she recognized the voice and turned around only to see him leaning by the door with a smile on his face "Please don't do that …"

"I saw that you haven't sensed me as usual and couldn't resist …" He retorted while entering the room "Something on your mind?"

"Aside from boredom … Nothing" She answered before waving her hand dismissively "Forget about me for now and tell me about you; what was that all about? And what was that letter?"

"Nothing that might concern you" He replied coolly earning him a glare from Hermione "I can extract it out of you, ya' know? So, why don't you do it the easy way?"

He smiled at her and went to a nearby chair "You always forget that I underwent the same training as you did, maybe more …" he sat on the chair and stretched lazily before speaking again "Moreover, what business I went for will only increase your boredom for it was some government matter. The only thing that matters here is that I'm officially on vacation …"

The last bit of information surprised Hermione "You?! On vacation?!" she exclaimed in disbelief "Impossible!"

"And why is that?" he wondered and she explained in jeer "Come one, Harry; if there is anyone more workaholic than me, it would be you …"

"I don't know if that is a compliment or an insult, but I'll pass it" Harry stated coolly before smiling "Anyway, I don't want to begin me vacation with some argue; so … Where to go?"

Hermione nibbled with her lower lips thinking "Well, going to the library is out of question since you will definitely throw me off the roof if I do. And Brimstone Alley …" she then remembered something "Oh, I almost forgot. Harry there is something I have to show you …"

She ushered him to follow him which he did in confusion. She guided him through the flat into his own bedroom and out to the veranda. There he saw a grayish-brown owl standing on the fence.

"It came just after I entered the flat, and it refused to hand over the letter" she said showing her bandaged hand "It bit me when I tried to force it …"

"Actually, the trick is simple" Harry retorted while picking up a small pouch off the drawer "You need to pay it first"

As if to prove his point, he pulled out a bronze coin out of the pouch and offered it to the owl. The brown bird picked the coin of his fingers and extended its leg and Harry untied the letter.

"You see?" he said opening the envelope and pulling out the letter. Along with the letter there was a flyer that Harry recognized on the first sight and a smile appeared on his face.

"What is it?" Hermione asked upon seeing his smile and he looked up at her with the same smile.

"Our destination is decided …" he said "… Brimstone Alley" and flashed the flayer with the famous 'WWW' on it …

------------------------------

"What's taking him so long?" Tonks inquired with a grumble looking at her watch and pushing away another person before Ron replied "They will come sooner or later, relax"

"You mean by 'They' he and that Granger girl, right?" she retorted in a meaningful tone "Are they together, by the way?"

"Firstly, her name is Hermione; and secondly …" he looked at his watch before continuing "Everyone regards them as a couple even though they haven't admit that yet"

"Ooh, I have a lot to do, then" the pink-haired woman said rubbing her hands in a mischievous way, and Ron sighed helplessly "Whatever you're concocting; just keep me out of it"

A minute later, he saw Harry and Hermione coming from afar "There they are … Oi Harry!" the couple noticed them and pushed through crowd until they reached them.

"Sorry we're late …" Harry apologized glancing at Hermione "But someone here took her time in dressing up"

"Oh, don't be hard on her, Harry" Tonks scolded him "A woman needs time to prepare, unlike you men" the last part earned her a giggle from Hermione and two deadly glares from both men.

"Never mind now, they will open any minute now" Ron stated and as soon as he finished his sentence, his twin brothers appeared from inside the shop.

"Ladies and Gentlemen …" Fred called with his magically amplified voice, and George continued as usual "We now officially announcing the Weasley Wizard Wheezes – US Branch …"

"Opened …" Both of them said in unison as they cut the ceremonial ribbon, and the flock of people hurried inside along with our friends.

"Now that's wicked …" Ron stated with a naughty gleam in his eyes when he saw the new merchandise "New pranks, as expected from my brothers"

"I believe that you won't do anything stupid …" Harry said firmly "Like buying childish pranks, for instance"

"Come on, Harry …" Ron groaned at his best mate "I was dying to be here in the first place. Besides, Pierce asked me to show him some magical pranks"

"And here I was thinking that nobody will be as naughty as Pierce" Hermione stated with a chuckle. They continued on their tour until they reached the main counter where Fred, George, and Lee were servicing shoppers.

"Oi, Harry …" Fred was the first one to notice them "Long time no see, eh?"

"Same thing is said to you, Fred …" Harry replied happily "How's the business?"

"Flourishing as usual …" George answered "People can't get enough of our ever-renewing arsenal of pranks"

"Of course this time we didn't want to put a special offer due to a previous experience" Fred said while glaring at Ron who turned as red as a ripened tomato "What? I haven't done anything"

"Thanks to you, our branch in France lost its first day earnings …" George explained and the group roared in laughter. The twins then noticed the presence of Hermione amongst the group.

"Well, hello there …" Fred greeted her and George scolded Harry "You have no right, Harry; you should've told us that you brought your girlfriend along" the statement caused the faces of both Harry and Hermione to turn red

"Actually, we are just friends and roommates" Harry said and Hermione excused herself "Sorry, I remembered something urgent" then she hurried out of the shop.

"Did I say something wrong?" George wondered but received no answer. Harry then excused himself proving George right "Definitely something is wrong …"

Harry pushed through the shoppers until he reached outside the shop where he saw Hermione standing there, troubled and concerned.

"Hermione, I'm sorry …" He apologized to her and she wondered why "He doesn't know about Joseph, and I know that his memory causes you to grief"

She looked at him in confusion; he surely oblivious to the reason why she walked out of there "That's not it, Harry" she said "The reason is …"

"Yes …" he looked at her urging her to carry on, but she couldn't. What would she say?

_'The reason is that I fancy you?! That I want it to be true?!'_ she thought to herself _'You're dreaming, girl. Besides …'_ She remembered her vision, and it is certainly not motivating.

"Yes, Hermione …" His voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked at him vacantly for a second before shaking her head "Nothing … Just forget about it"

He pondered on her words before smiling "I will not push you into it. You can tell me when you're ready" he rounded her shoulders and smiled at her "Now, let's returne inside"

She sighed and complied with his request pushing away the images of that dark vision away. However, upon doing so, she felt tension fill the air, and an urge to kill arise from within the surrounding crowd. Everything went mute in an instant, and when she looked at Harry she saw him speaking to her joyfully; then she saw it … The person whom she felt the killer intent arise from was eyeing them from afar and readying his wand before casting a dangerous spell directly at Harry's back.

"HARRY!! NO!!" She cried at the top of her voice while pushing Harry away from the curse which she succeeded in miraculously. But that move left her open for attack. The second after, she felt sharp pain piercing her left arm and her body went numb.

"HERMIONE!!" Harry exclaimed when he regained his senses and jumped to catch Hermione before she dropped to the ground. He then sought refuge behind a nearby wall dodging several curses as he did so.

"Oh, no God! Hermione, look at me, Hermione!" He said in panic looking at his pale friend then called for Ron "Ron, I need your help … Ron!!"

The said person came rushing from inside the shop when he heard the commotion outside. He saw several death eaters at the other end of the square firing at a certain point while people ran around in panic with some of them hit. He looked at the targeted point and saw Harry with the injured Hermione behind the wall, so he rushed toward their location while giving the death eaters several curses of his own.

"Harry, what happened?!" Ron asked his panicked mate looking at the pale Hermione "Where did they come from?"

"I-I don't know; one minute we were walking, and the other they attacked us" Harry stuttered in a manner not usual of him "She-She pushed me aside and took the blow; she saved me"

"Well, we are not saved yet …" Tonks, who came to their aid, said and pointed at Hermione "And she needs medical attention … Now"

"I'll call Sofia and Vlad to come to our aid …" Ron stated to Harry, who wasn't paying him any attention and looked at his wounded friend in concern.

"Harry …" Hermione finally spoke albeit weakly "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Hermione; and it's all thanks to you" Harry said in a mix of appreciation and concern "Now, relax. Help is on the way"

Hermione chuckled out of the blue and smiled at Harry "I saved you this time Harry …" she said to him and he couldn't help but to smile. However, his smile faded when he saw her drifting away.

"Harry, we need a hand in here, crying won't get us out …" Ron called for him, but the look he saw in his face made him swallow back his words.

"They injured Hermione …" a tone darker than the dark itself was heard by both aurors "None will leave here alive"

"What do you me-" Tonks tried to inquire but was stopped by Ron "Don't …" he whispered while eyeing his friend and superior putting Hermione down and slowly walking over to the alley square.

"What happened to him?" Tonks asked in wonder but was astonished at what she saw, and Ron muttered to her "He has snapped …"

She couldn't agree more when she saw the curses directed at Harry rebounded without any damage done causing only few unnoticed sparks to fly around him, then after he reached the middle of the square, the eyes of all those in they alley where fixed at him in anticipation, Tonks, Ron, the twins, the death eaters and the rest of the wizards who unluckily were in the alley.

"Fawkes …" he called firmly and the regal bird appeared out of the usual twirl of fire and threw the famous katana at him which he grasped instantly. He unsheathed the sword in a slow motion before throwing the sheath aside.

"What is he doing?" Tonks asked breathlessly waiting to see Harry in action for the first time in a year, and Ron shook his head "I don't know. But it's definitely not good for them …"

Of course they wouldn't know it; they weren't training with him for the last month, but Hermione would recognize the move immediately since she read all about Japanese fights, and this particular move was only done by the valorous; it means that the sword shall not be sheathed until it tastes blood.

The death eaters stopped throwing curses when they finally knew it was useless and eyed Harry in curiosity waiting for him to make his move. Harry, however, did nothing but standing in silence; and only after a whole minute, something was beginning to take place.

All of the sudden, a strong gust blew out of nowhere and all the witnesses braced themselves wondering about the cause of this weird gust in this closed alley. But they all knew the reason when they saw the winds surrounding Harry and mixing with his now-visible aura giving him a terrifying sight. Then suddenly, he disappeared.

"What?!" Tonks exclaimed "Where did he go?" she then knew when she heard the agonized scream of the death eaters. And when they looked for the reason, they saw a headless corpse dropping to the ground before the head reach the ground after the long flight.

"He's … He's fast" the pinkhead said breathlessly "He's impossibly fast"

"I know" Ron muttered eyeing another death eater being torn apart by invisible slashes "And he's faster than before"

The death eaters, now panicked beyond their minds, ran toward the middle of the square while blindly shooting at their previous position. This, however, did not affect Harry who jumped away from their curses and into the middle of the group punching the ground as hard as he can and the earth trembled as a result.

"What a monstrous strength …" Tonks remarked while taking refuge at the wall "When did he developed such strength?!"

Now, after this intense albeit one-sided battle, Harry was standing at what used to be a group of death eaters. Everyone was relieved at the outcome, but not Harry who raised his harm and summoned one last death eater who escaped the massacre.

"What the-?" the death eater exclaimed but was cut by a chokehold by Harry's arm. He felt himself raised above the ground by Harry and with a single arm only.

"M-Mercy …" the panicked death eater begged for his life but was cut midway when he saw the look in Harry's eyes.

"You are sure bold to ask for this after what you've done …" Harry stated coldly before looking at the death eater straight in the eye "For Hermione …"

A hideous bone crackling sound was heard in the square, and Tonks face twisted in a mix of awe and disgust when she saw the death eater; now a lifeless corpse, drop to the ground with his head twisted in an anatomically impossible way. She and Ron were about to walk to Harry, but then she saw something appear out of then air.

"Harry!! Watch out!!" she cried at the top of her voice, but Harry's reflexes were faster; he turned around and delivered a strong punch to the appearing death eater, who already pulled out his wand.

"H-How?!" The death eater inquired in astonishment, and Harry answered him slyly "I sensed you all along and waited for you to show your cowardly face" he then opened his fist and pressed his palm on the attacker's chest "And now that you're here … _Offendo Maxima_"

The trademark white wave shot out of Harry's palm into the death eater's chest causing his eyes to widen in shock, along with those who witness Harry's fight for the first time, including Tonks. The shockwave caused the death eater to fly backward and smash through the wall of an abandoned building before dropping unconscious into the dim-lit room.

Harry then stood firmly for a minute before walking toward the sheath and placing the sword into it, he then looked at the result of his handwork and wasn't proud of it. and the image of his injured friend came to his mind.

"Hermione …" he muttered and hastened toward the entrance of the Weasleys shop.

"Well, well, what a killing machine you grew into during this past year, eh … Potter?" he heard someone stating from behind and saw the last face he's ever wanted to see … Rufus Scrimgeour.

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Now, what do you think of this chapter, interesting, eh. And by the way, I apologize again for the very, very, very slow update, but I was too busy during the last two months with a lot of graveyard shifts up to nine nights. 

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.


	6. Mission for the Order

_**Disclaimer:**_ As usual, I ain't own nothing except some blokes and the plot.

_**A/N:**_ I hope you liked the last chapter, because this is where the ball gets rolling for the main plot of this part; plus the true shipping is near, but not yet, not yet.

* * *

**Mission for the Order**

After the fight and all that bloody business, it was the last face he'd ever want to see; the face of Rufus Scrimgeour …

"You surely chose the worst time to appear, Scrimgeour" Harry stated coldly causing the old auror to bellow sternly "I told you it is Director Scrimgeour now, Potter"

"If you want me to address you properly then you should do the same …" Harry replied with more sternness "And don't forget that I outrank you … Senior Auror"

Scrimgeour gritted his teeth in ire upon hearing Harry's words and was about mouth another sharp word but kept his opinions to himself. Instead he looked around and inquired indifferently "I heard that there is a death eater attack …"

"Was …" Harry corrected with similar indifference "It has already ended …"

"You let them escape?!" Scrimgeour yelled angrily, but Harry never even flinched and pointed around the wrecked square "Look around closely, they are all still here …" he said "In pieces …"

It was then when the director noticed the scattered remains of what was an assassination squad. He never believed his eyes for the scene was too gruesome to be real, but the look on Harry's eyes was the proof of its reality.

"You …" the baffled director uttered "You did that all, didn't you?"

"Yes …" Harry answered calmly causing the old man to bellow in anger "Have you any idea what you've done?! You've lost us some valuable prisoners to interrogate …"

The younger man didn't seem to care about that or his director's outburst when all what he said was "Not my problem …"

"NOT YOUR PROBLEM?!" the vexed director literally exploded ranting at the raven-haired man "THEN, IN BLOODY MERLIN'S NAME, WHOSE PROBLEM IS IT?!"

Harry rubbed his ear coolly, fueling the rage of the already infuriated directorand replied with a cooler tone "I believe it is the duty of the commander of the IAST, who currently appears to be Ron, if I'm not mistaken"

Scrimgeour gritted his teeth in ire with his eyes shooting daggers at the seemingly cool auror in front of him "If it was Weasley's problem …" he said slowly "Why did you interfere, then?"

"They attacked first trying to assassinate me, and they injured one of my friends in process …" Harry replied with a meaningful look "You don't expect me to stand still and not defend myself after all, do you?" the director grumbled without a reply, and Harry excused himself "Now, if you excuse me, director; I have to check upon my injured friend" He only took few steps away when he heard the old auror speak again.

"A friend you say …" Scrimgeour sneered "Since when you had friends, Potter? Or is it …" a smile played on his face before he continued "Your _muggle_ friend …"

Harry froze in his steps confirming his suspicions "So, the rumors are true …" the old director stated in victory "Tell me … Why does the _famous_ Harry Potter lower himself into petting a mere muggle?"

"Shut up …" Harry muttered slowly and his fist began to shake. However, Scrimgeour, who appears to be either missing or ignoring the situation, carried on with his degrading of Hermione and the muggles in general "I mean I don't have any problem with muggles, but they seem to be the ones having problem with magic. It's just like every generation comes duller than its predecessor. They would never admit the superiority of magic over their so called technol-"

"I SAID SHUT UP!!" Harry was now at the peak of his anger. Scrimgeour was taken aback by the sudden outburst and only took a single step backwards before feeling cold steel under his chin. He glanced at the sword before looking back at Harry, and he found himself looking at a pair of dangerous eyes.

"I will not repeat myself, so heed every word I say carefully" Harry uttered slowly "Hermione might be a muggle, but she is my friend nonetheless. If anyone tried to hurt her, auror or else, I will never hesitate to repeat this massacre all over again … Ever" he looked deeply in the old man's eyes and pressed the tip of the sword slightly to affirm his words causing a small bleeding puncture under the old man's chin "Are we clear … Director?"

The said director looked at Harry without even flinched, which he should be credited for. However, deep inside him he was utterly shaken; he never believed a word from what his old associates said about the drastic change in Harry's personality; that is because he never actually believed that someone would change in such a short period of time. But now that he witnessed this situation himself, any speck of doubt left was blown away by the mere glance from Harry.

"Are we clear, director?" Harry firmly repeated the question pulling Scrimgeour out of his thoughts, and the old director scowled at the young auror in front of him before replying "Yes …"

"Good …" Harry retorted coldly and turned away from the scene toward Hermione's spot. Scrimgeour, on the other hand, was about to order some aurors who were collecting the dead from the area, but the image of infuriated Harry changed his mind and he disapparated from he scene with a grumble.

Harry, who ignored the disapparating man, reached the wall and looked over the area behind it only to find Sofia there working on Hermione.

"How is she?" He asked the Med-Auror in concern, but the answer came from the seemingly injured person.

"I'm fine, Harry. Thank you for asking …" Hermione was already awake and she gave him this reassuring answer albeit in a weak tone. Sofia, however, did not agree with her.

"No, you are not …" the Med-Auror retorted "That spell you were hit with was a very dangerous one; it could've taken your whole arm off. And to think you were only grazed …" she took a deep breath before continuing "You should thank God for your luck …"

Hermione wasn't concerned about her wound at all and kept a calm posture during the whole speech. Contrary to that, Harry was the one troubled by the fact that his muggle friend had just suffered a horrid experience, and almost got hit with a terrible curse that was meant for him in the first place. All and all, he couldn't help but to feel responsible for all this.

"I'm sorry …" He suddenly said to Hermione who was surprised by that response. She then smiled calmly before stating "Well, I'm not …" the statement earned her an astonished look from Harry which deepened her smile before she continued "Friends are meant to help each other in times of need. I couldn't simply stand still and watch you get killed in front of my eyes; I had to help you …" she then lowered her eyes along with her voice "Especially you who came to my aid many times …"

Harry was moved by this revelation; he was always the one who saves the others, but this time he was saved; not by a wizard, but a muggle.

"Hermione …" He said suddenly pulling back her attention up to him. He looked into her chocolate-brown eyes for a moment before a smile of appreciation appeared on his face "Thank you …"

She responded to his smile with a blush that crept to her cheeks almost immediately and she looked away from him out of modesty. It was hard for her to gaze upon his handsome face without blushing, especially when he is smiling like that. However, this pleasant moment ended with an auror calling "Sir, we a death eater who survived the fight …"

Harry's face changed into firm when he looked at the auror "Yes, I know; I never dealt him a mortal blow in the first place" he then looked back at Hermione and Sofia "Sofia, stay here with Hermione, please. You three will come with me" he said the last part while ushering Ron, Tonks and Vlad to follow him.

They followed the auror to the abandoned building where Harry sent the death eater flying into a while earlier. They entered the building cautiously watching for the debris resulted from the forced entry, and saw that the unconscious death eater at the end of the dim-lit room already tied with ropes and two aurors pointing their wands at him.

"Good work, gentlemen …" Harry complimented the patrol aurors on their job "I haven't seen you before by the way …"

"We are new recruits, sir. This is our third watch, as a matter of fact" The auror who escorted them, who is apparently the leader "Sergeant Auror Martins at your service, sir. We are honored to meet you, Harry Potter sir"

"The honor is mine …" Harry said with a smile before regaining his firm gesture "However, I have a certain request from the three of you; actually it is an order"

"We are more than ready to do it sir" The recruit leader said rather joyfully, and the two senior aurors were surprised by the sudden statement. However, Harry had more to surprise them with.

"I want you three to not to tell anyone about this surviving death eater" He said sending those in the room into a total shock.

"B-But why, sir?" the auror inquired in confusion and was only met with a firm look from Harry "The reason is not of your concern, auror. Can you do it or not?"

"Yes, sir" the three recruits saluted him and took a few steps toward the exit before they were called by Harry again "And aurors …"

"Yes, sir?" They turned around to meet him again but froze midway when they saw the wand that was pointed at them.

"Sorry, chaps … _Obliviate_" The spell hit the three of them and their gazes turned vacant immediately. Harry holstered his wand back again and spoke calmly as if he has done something normal "You will forget about the surviving death eater, and will only remember that when you arrived at the scene, all the attackers were killed"

Being completely mesmerized, the aurors nodded automatically and stepped out of the building without a word uttered. Harry followed then with his gaze until they went out of sight.

"Well, that's one thing done …" He said while turning around only to be met with the shocked look on the face of his two companions "I believe _they_ were the ones who were hit with the memory charm"

"Harry … If I had a single wish, it would be this one …" Ron was the first to speak, and his tone didn't appeal Harry "If you wanted to do such things, would you please tell us beforehand?"

"I could expect that from anyone, but not from you, Ron" The raven-haired man said to his best mate "You know better than me that there are times when split-second decisions should be made" he then looked away at the street outside and muttered "It is not that I don't trust them; it's just I don't trust the reaction of my superiors, especially one Director Scrimgeour …"

Ron and Tonks didn't comment on his words and he took it as an agreement "Okay, then, time for step two …" he said taking out his invisible headphone and pressed the button "Dick … Are you there, over?"

"Yes, Harry Potter sir" The IAST Intel specialist appeared out of the usual floo hologram.

"Dick, I want you to contact Phoenix One, Two, and Three and tell them to secure the scene …" Harry stated firmly and Dick nodded "Right away, sir"

As soon as the hologram vanished, Harry turned toward the unconscious death eater and kneeled beside him "Now everything is set; time to wake the sleeping beauty" he stated flicking his wand on the criminal's forehead and the said person groaned in discomfort.

"Rise and shine, sleepy dolt" Harry said while taking off the mask, and the whole team backed off in shock when they recognized the culprit under it with Harry smiling slyly "It looks like we caught a big fish this time, eh?"

"Don't be so confident, Potter; our places will change enough" The death eater said with apparent grudge, and Harry kept his smile on as he carried on "That's what I'm trying to know. Everyone, meet Blaise Zabini; Ace of Diamond, and head of the assassination squad in the death eater organization" he got up and brushed the dust off his trousers while stating "You'll never feel his presence until your heart stops beating …"

"Only you blew away my last trait, Potter …" The said death eater retorted with a smile he tried his best to make it confident "Care to divulge the way you managed that?"

Harry shook his head negatively "Why should I? You might make the same mistake all over again; that is if you managed to escape …" he said "On the other hand, I want _you_ to tell about the plan Flint is concocting"

"You know that I won't say anything, so why don't you go straight and read my mind?" Zabini stated with dubious confidence that made Harry hesitate for a moment. He then made up his mind and kneeled again "Well, you asked for it … _Legilimens_"

The usual ritual of mind reading started, and for a whole minute everyone silenced and held their breath waiting for the results. Surprisingly, it was the opposite of what they expected; Harry broke the bond with few pants escaping from him, and Zabini kept his scornful smile.

"Did you like the trick, Potter? Rule number one in my assassination squad, never leave your mind vulnerable; simply … Occlumency" The assassin death eater boasted in front of the helpless aurors, who never believed that Harry actually failed to read someone's mind; Harry, the top notch auror and the strongest wizard of the century.

"What is it, Potter? Do my eyes deceive me, or you are cowering just as you should be?" Zabini sneered yet again, but this time it was the last straw for Ron "You little …" he pulled out his wand in anger and pointed it at the tied death eater. However, before he can do anything, Harry stopped him.

"No, Ron …" he said calmly "Although he's a nuisance, he is still a valuable information source"

"That's true; if you killed me now, you would risk losing valuable information about us. And from who, Flint's aide no less" Zabini said and ended his statement with an irritating laugh that earned him a punch from Harry "Shut up you; I did not leave you alive to annoy me with your maniacal demeanor. But rest assured; you will not keep this laugh when I'm done with you in the headquarters"

"You are the one who is dreaming, Potter" Zabini spat "No matter how many times you try to read my mind; it will be the same …"

True … This troubling matter came to him the time he failed to read his memories, and it was annoying as hell. His skill in Legilimancy was matched only with an occlumens as skillful as Zabini, and to break through his shielded mind, a more skillful mind reader is needed. However, the only one here at par with him, maybe better, was _her_.

_'No …'_ The decision was clear; he will not let her participate in such dangerous events. She's already in danger because she's associated with him; he won't involve her in any more auror business, not anymore.

"I can help …" He sighed at the sound he feared to hear; it might've been too late, after all. He turned around knowing what he will see. And there they were; Hermione was standing at the entrance along with Sofia.

"Sorry sir; I tried to prevent her from coming but she was so-" The Med-Auror tried to apologize but was cut mid-sentence by Hermione "Harry, I can help you …"

With another sigh, Harry got up and walked toward his female friend. He looked up into her face and saw pain and exhaustion. And above all that, he saw utter determination.

"I appreciate your offer" He stated with his hands on her shoulders "But I'm afraid I can't accept it"

"Harry …" She tried to reason with him but he stooped her with a gentle press on the shoulder "You almost died out there, Hermione. I know it was to save me and I'm grateful for it, but this whole ordeal left you injured and exhausted; I cannot stand and watch you waste what left of your energy for nothing, it is my duty to protect you, after all"

"Harry …" Hermione called again and looked directly into his eyes "The only thing is being wasted here is our time. While Flint is doing whatever he's doing, we are standing here arguing" she lowered her head a bit while continuing "You always were there for me when I was in need, and when I finally have the chance to pay back some of my debt, you just push me away. You know that I can do it …" she looked back up into his eyes with much resolve "And I'll do it whether you agreed or not"

Harry knew that he does not have much of a choice here; she will do what she fixed her mind on. And with her newly-honed personality, he cannot stop her even if he wanted to.

"Alright …" He finally gave up and stepped out of her way "Just don't overexert your self"

"Don't worry …" She said with a smile and walked slowly toward the confused group of aurors and the detained death eater, who didn't recognize Hermione, but that didn't prevent him from ridiculing her.

"Well, well; what have we got here? A muggle. You sure ran out of ideas, Potter" Zabini sneered, then something came to him making him smile even more "Or is she …?"

"You may begin when you like, Hermione …" Harry addressed his friend not giving a damn about what the tied-up death eater says, whose eyes gleamed when he heard the name "So, the rumors are true …"

By that he gained the full attention of Harry, who looked at him in query before the former spoke again "I heard that certain muggle was tagging along with you, but I didn't believe it for one good reason …" Harry's grip twitched as he knew what's coming "Why would Harry Potter, who was literally tortured by his muggle relatives, care for a person that comes from the very people who hurt him"

Hermione let out a gasp and looked at Harry in disbelief, but Zabini did not stop at that and continue his loathsome speech "However, when I saw her I knew why you did it. She makes a good bitch"

As soon as he finished his last word, Zabini felt sharp pain hitting his body when he was suddenly pushed against the wall by Harry which caused the aurors to jump in surprise. Apparently, the he couldn't bear to hear any more insults thrown at his dear friend.

"One more word …" he said with a voice coming from the deepest pit of Hell before raising his eyes to meet up with Zabini's "… And I'll snap you neck like a twig"

Although he was trained to resist interrogation and known for being steadfast, Zabini couldn't help but to shiver at the look in Harry's eyes and the only thing saved him from the fate he was promised was Hermione's calling.

"Harry, please. If you killed him we would lose a valuable lead to Flint" She said in an attempt to cool Harry down before she continued with a smile "Besides, this one is not worth it; even his Occlumency skill is barely mediocre"

"MEDIOCRE?!!" It was Zabini's turn to get angry "What do you know about Occlumency, you ignorant muggle?!"

Harry suddenly dropped him to the ground causing a groan of pain to come out of him before he made room for Hermione to step forward, which she did while retorting confidently "You will see yourself; I know much more that you can imagine, and it's not in your favor …" she then positioned her self in front of him and extended her right arm "In fact, one hand will do …"

"Do What-" He tried to inquire but a sudden surge of pain that spread through his body when Hermione put her hand on his head prevented him form doing so. With the whole matter in process, Harry took his place beside his fellow aurors, who were silent during the whole interrogation, and eyed Hermione and her 'victim' with a smile.

"Harry …" Ron finally spoke albeit hoarsely "What-in-Merlin's-name-is-this?"

Harry's smile widened at his best mate's shock and eyed Hermione, who was so absorbed into her own business, before replying confidently "Hermione's unearthed talent …"

"Which is …" Tonks said urging him for more, and he glance at Hermione for a second before answering "She's a seer …"

The aurors where dumbfounded by the revelation and looked at Hermione who appears to have finished. Zabini, on the other hand, looked totally finished; he dropped to his side panting heavily.

"Boy, what a mind you have; I was totally wrong about you …" She said with a sly smile although never succeeded in masking her discomfort "You are absolutely below mediocre and your Occlumency is rubbish; on touch could've done the same job …"

"Wh-What are you?" The death eater said between pants with his face showing that he was clearly taken aback, and Hermione eyed him coolly before answered "A muggle …" she then got up and walked toward Harry with the same troubled smile.

"So, how was it?" The raven-haired man said in anticipation, and Hermione's sighed while maintaining her smile.

"He's a valuable bloke, alright …" She said "He was gonna catch up with Flint after he finishes his 'job' here"

She said the last word with apparent and Harry asked her again "Where is this meeting place?" She looked nowhere in particular before she answered him "Bermuda Triangle …"

Everybody went silent with Ron and Tonks exchanging glances before the former ask suddenly "You actually read his thoughts, eh?"

Hermione, not knowing the purpose of such question, looked at him in confusion before answering "Well … Yes"

"Cool …" Ron exclaimed with a smile and Hermione scowled at him muttering _'Senseless'_ and _'Dimwit'_ under her breath as she pushed through them toward the only intact wall in the room where she leaned back groaning as the her abilities began to take its toll. Her exhaustion was never noticed by the witnessing aurors, who were eyeing the weary death eater in disbelief, save Harry who glanced at her in concern knowing how much mental strain her gift causes her, especially when met with an advanced resistance such as Occlumency. He wanted to go and comfort her a bit, but a look at their captive reminded him of the plan he just thought of.

"Phoenix Element, do you read me?" Through the high-tech headphone he called for his teams, and the miniature holograms of the three team leaders; Vanessa Mendoza, Lee Chang, and William Hanson appeared before him.

"Reading loud and clear, sir" the three aurors answered his calling and he issued his order immediately "I want the three of you to guard the entrance to the abandoned building. No one is allowed to enter this building, not even the aurors"

"Yes, sir …" The aurors replied, then Harry resumed "Vanessa … I believe that there is an auror in your team who happens to be a metamorphmagus"

"That would be Ferguson, sir" The female auror answered trying to fathom the reason behind the question and Harry's smile that appeared afterwards "Great, I want him here inside at once"

"Right away, sir" Vanessa replied formally and Harry ended the call before he went straight to Hermione who looked as if she was sleeping.

"Falling asleep, are we" He said suddenly with a smile causing her to startle a bit before she looked at him in relief "Oh, nothing to worry about; it's just-"

"The after effects of the probing …" he said calmly, although not calm enough to mask his concern "The very reason I raised an objection for"

She looked away in annoyance while mumbling something before she spoke again "Well, it's not something that lasts forever. A minute or two of Occlumency will instantly wash the tiredness away"

Harry didn't comment on her statement. Instead, he looked at her in sympathy and propped against the wall beside her before speaking "I know that I'm not a seer, so I'm in no place to lecture you about how to use your own abilities. But I know one thing, though …" he said nonchalantly while looking at his comrades who were in a heated speech with Zabini. However, even with his calm words, he surely got her attention fixed on him. She looked at him intently as if urging him to spill the beans.

"A person might lose a finger, a toe, or even a whole limb and still move on …" He said with the same calm exterior before he glanced at her with a smile and continued "But he has only one mind …"

Hermione looked down gloomily and Harry carried on even though he knew that she already got it "Losing one's mind is like losing one's sight and just as terrible" he shifted in his place before he continued "If you lost your mind, you will bee seeing without an eye, hearing without an ear, tasting without a tongue …" he gave her a meaningful look before muttering "Doing without a will …"

Hermione felt a shiver overcome her body when she imagined what Harry just told her. It was the same as the time when she was under the Imperius curse, or that mind control spell placed upon her by that necromancer. All and all, it was a horrid experience.

"All what I want to say is that you should be careful not to lose control over your mind in one of these readings …" He said before he saw a blonde auror enter the building, so gave her a smile before saying few last words "Also, do not stress yourself too much; you've just begun your training, after all …"

Hermione gloomed without replying, and Harry went straight to the new auror who saluted him firmly.

"Auror David Ferguson at your service, sir" The auror said while saluting and Harry ushered him to be at ease.

"Since we're a bit behind schedule, I'm gonna go straight to straight to business …" The raven-haired Grand Auror stated while signaling the blonde one to follow him which he did in a mixture of awe and excitement. While they were walking, Harry suddenly said in query "I heard you are a talented the metamorphmagus"

"That's true, sir" Ferguson replied while pacing behind his superior "I'm but one of a long line of metamorphmagi; my father and my grandfather before him were all shape-shifters, and they underwent dangerous espionage missions for the ministry"

"Brilliant; that will be much easier than expected …" Harry commented in relief that caused the auror a bit of confusion. However, upon reaching the detained death eater, Ferguson's eyes widened as he recognized him.

"Th-This is …" The blonde auror stammered as a shock hit him made him even forget to salute Ron and Tonks, and Harry completed with a nod "Ace of Diamond, yes. It was sheer luck that allowed us to capture Zabini when he was apparently aiming to assassinate me"

"That's a good catch, sir" Ferguson said "I bit the ministry officials will flip when they hear that" He said the last part with a joyful smile that faded when he saw the serious look on Harry's face.

"This is where we disagree …" The Harry retorted firmly before addressing the Russian auror "Vlad; keep an eye on our guest for a minute, would you?" he then signaled the other three; Ron, Tonks, and Ferguson to follow him to a spot away from the ears of Zabini.

"Now, I want your full attention because I do not want to repeat myself all over again" The raven-haired auror said in a manner that ensured they will be all attentive. After that he cleared his throat and continued explaining what's on his mind "First, I want to congratulate you on the capture of Zabini …"

"Here you go; Harry the modest. Takes out all those death eaters single-handedly then throws all the glory back to us as usu-" Ron interrupted jokingly but the firm look on Harry's face told him that it was not the best time to throw jokes around "Sorry …"

Ron apologized for his inept intrusion but Harry still glared at him for few seconds with his emerald eyes adding some intensity to the look. After a minute of silence, the raven-haired auror re-assumed his cool face and continued "As I was saying, capturing a death eater belongs to Flint's inner circle is indeed an outstanding feet that would serve as a stepping stone for future plans …" he then looked at them while shaking a finger "However, the ministry in its current state will definitely disagree with me on that …"

"And why is that, sir?" The shapeshifting auror wondered in curiosity and Harry answered with a smile "Frankly, if I didn't chose you for this mission you wouldn't have known the reason; which I can put it that simple …" he took a deep breath before continuing rather coolly "In few days you will know the newly-appointed director of law enforcement in UK ministry, but I shall tell you now … Rufus Scrimgeour"

"Auror Scrimgeour?!" Ferguson exclaimed in astonishment with Harry nodding in agreement "None other; Senior Auror First Class, iron fist of the auror department, and the so-called hero of the first wizard war … Which I doubt, actually" Harry said in a cool manner that seemed inconsistent to the look on the young auror's face "It's not that I disagree with the fact that he's a talented auror, but it seems that these very last years have made him go … Senile, in a way" he smiled scornfully before completing "He thinks that I'm competing with him for the head position"

Ferguson raised an eyebrow in wonder and was about to ask more but a dismissal wave from Harry told him not to "Anyway, it's not the best time to discuss such things. The point is Scrimgeour with not spare any effort to prevent me from obtaining the so-called glory, even if it meant going against our plans" he then looked at the blonde auror and retorted vaguely "And this is where you enter …"

The metamoprh auror looked in inquiry as if urging his commander to clear more of his speech, which Harry complied with gladly "I want you to impersonate Zabini and bring out valuable intel from inside Flint's inner circle …"

"I will do it right away, sir …" The blonde auror said in enthusiasm while saluting his superior and was about to do what his was told, but the extended hand of Harry in front of him told him that he has done something wrong.

"I am not done here, auror. So, keep quiet and listen to me to the very end …" Harry looked at him in the eye firmly while addressing him "This is not a simple in-and-out operation we're talking about here. It is Flint's inner circle, the deepest of the deep in the death eater organization, and the only death eaters Flint allows around him …" he turned around and looked at his comrade aurors before continuing "Next to them, the rest of the death eaters are just riffraff …"

Ron and Tonks nodded in agreement although they looked pretty impressed by the delicate plan he simply improvised but none said anything. Harry then looked back at the metamoprhmagus before speaking again "I do not want you to just give me some crumblings. From now on, I want to know them as the back of my hand; I want you to live amongst them … As Blaise Zabini" he then looked into his eyes and asked on last time "Would you do it for me or not?"

"The Fergusons do not give up on their first words, sir" The blonde auror said firmly and a smile of satisfaction appeared on Harry's face. However, Ron has something to say.

"But Harry, getting near Flint is not as easy as you just said; he would definitely expose him as soon as he speaks the first words …" Ron said in worry, but the confidant look on Harry's face told him not to.

"Nothing to worry about, mate; by the time we were doing the probe, Dick was gathering all the available psychological files on Zabini. Which Ferguson will have to read thoroughly before commencing the operation" Harry said calmly "I know it will lose us something of three hours, but it's better that going blindly"

"I can save you the time and trouble Harry …" A sudden voice interjected from behind them and they all turned around to see who was it, but Harry needn't to do because he already knew.

"I appreciate your offer, Hermione. But this is something even a talented seer like you can't do …" Harry said after a long sigh and without turning around to face her "Besides, you are already exhausted from the probing you just did"

"No, I'm not …" The young seer replied in annoyance "I just performed Occlumency, and the mind transfer ritual does not take much of-"

"_The what?!_" Harry, now turned around, looked at her with eyes widened in shock. She cowered a bit but answered anyway "The mind transfer ritual, I've read about it in on of the knowledge scrolls …"

"Not just one of the scrolls …" Harry corrected slowly and in a ominous tone "You've opened the sealed scrolls, haven't you?"

"And what if I did?" Hermione retorted in a way she tried to make it look bold but failed "I was allowed to read as many as I can from these scrolls"

"Not all the scrolls if I can remember …" Harry stated coldly "I believe sensei told you a few things before he set you free in the library, amongst them, and the most important of all, is not to touch any of the sealed scrolls"

"Okay, I did it …" She finally said in surrender "But if I hadn't, I would've been able to offer you this handy shortcut"

"Which is regrettably refused …" Harry said in firm resolve "I'm sorry Hermione, but I'll see to it that sensei is informed about this transgression"

Hermione gloomed at the statement, and the three aurors looked at her in pity before looking back at their commander who ushered them to follow him.

"Sir, if I may; I do agree with her …" Ferguson stated "Performing that 'mind transfer' thing might come in handy in my miss-"

"This matter has been already concluded, auror …" Retorted Harry without looking at his subordinate "It will only endanger your life and consequently the mission"

"Aye, sir" The blonde metamorphmagus complied even though he was not fully convinced and Harry then looked at him and ordered firmly "We will go and check the situation outside; by that time I want you to perfect the image of Zabini before we all return to the-"

"Detective Granger!! What are you doing?!" The sound of Vlad hit their ears causing them to turn around in curiosity only to be shocked by the scene they saw.

"What are you doing?!" Zabini inquired shakily remembering what the first contact she made did to him. She didn't bother to answer him and carried on with the stance that caused Harry's eyes to widen in panic for he knew it very well … The mind transfer ritual.

"HERMIONE DON'T!!" He yelled out of desperation and tried to reach her before she does it, but it was too late; her eyes were closed and her hand was on Zabini's forehead while the other was glowing … The ritual has already begun.

"No …" A whisper escaped his mouth and his arms dropped to his side in submission. His auror comrades, however, did not know the reason behind this submission.

"Stop her, Harry …" Ron urged him "If it was as dangerous as you say then stop her immediately"

"No …" The raven-haired auror shook his head weakly "It is far more dangerous to stop her now" as soon as he finished his last words, Hermione's glowing hand suddenly extended as if trying to reach for something, or someone.

"This is where you should enter, Ferguson …" Harry addressed the regular auror gloomily "I hope you're ready for some pain"

"I'm more than ready, sir" Ferguson said confidently and stepped forward. However, when he reached Hermione, her glowing hand suddenly went for his forehead and he gasped when he felt the mind transfer commence; it is as if someone poured iced water onto his head.

The ritual lasted for fifteen minutes before all three participants dropped to the ground. Harry hurried to his friend's side and checked her in worry before sighing in relief when he found that she was okay; he then went to check upon the other two.

"How is it?" Hermione's voice suddenly came from behind and he answered her without bothering to turn around "They are still alive, if that what you mean …"

Although he said it calmly, there was anger beyond those mere words that she could feel albeit not surprised; for she knew the reason … _She_ was the reason. Or to be precise, her last stunt was the true reason behind his fury.

"Harry I-" She tried to say something but he cut her mid-sentence "I'm sorry, was my prediction wrong? Maybe you meant the ritual, then …"

His anger was evident for a moment, but he quickly put it under a mask of coolness when he addressed the metamorphmagus "Ferguson …"

"Yes, sir" The blonde auror replied while still holding a dazed look, the new information that was 'inserted' into his mind was definitely more than what he had hoped for.

"How was the ritual?" Harry asked him calmly and the spy auror snapped out of his daze before answering "Painful, sir; yet beneficial" he assumed a smile that looked awfully similar to a certain death eater's smile "I now know that they are waiting for me there … In St. George's"

"Brilliant …" The raven-haired auror replied nonchalantly before looking at his muggle friend "Are you satisfied now? Let's go …"

"Harry …" Hermione said again before biting her lips in pain when she got up from her place, she then looked at him for a moment before lowering her eyes in regret "I-I'm sorry"

"That would not be of use to me if you got your self killed back there" Harry retorted in a low tone that only she could hear "Don't you ever do that again…"

With her eyes gloomed, she slowly followed him back to the auror team where he went straight to Ron.

"Ron, I would like you to escort Hermione back to the headquarters …" He spoke calmly, yet the words were somewhat commanding. Ron nodded without speaking and his raven-haired mate turned to the others "The rest of you will follow me out to the squa-"

"You bitch …" A sudden utter came from behind that forced silence upon him, he turned around and saw that Zabini has regained some of his strength and was looking at Hermione in anger.

"What have you done, you bitch?" He spoke again gritting his teeth while trying discretely to reach for his leg. Then out of the blue, he yelled at the top of his voice "YOU BITCH!!" and all Hell broke loose.

Vlad suddenly saw a wand with its tip glowing red pointed at his face and he barely managed to erect a magical shield before the curse was shot, but the sudden movement plus the force of the curse caused him to lose balance and his wand.

After getting rid of his captor, the assassin death eater pointed his glowing wand at the fear-frozen Hermione while wearing a triumphant smile knowing that the situation was in his advantage; his captor was disarmed, his wand was pointed at the muggle who was standing a few meters away with him, and the other aurors had their wands holstered. The result of this simple equation was clear; the death of Hermione. However, in the midst of this turmoil, there was but one parameter he seriously miscalculated … Harry Potter.

Before he even mutter the curse, the scene in front of Zabini changed from the fear-ridden Hermione into a pain of dangerous green eyes. The next second, he felt his wand arm pulled up and the curse was sent astray. The assassin then suddenly let out a gasp when he felt a sharp sensation of pain in his right shoulder.

"Wha-" The assassin spoke in wonder; the situation has clearly been reversed with Harry's sword impaling his shoulder and pinned him to the wall behind him.

"I warned you not to hurt her …" The raven-haired auror muttered with impassive face. Much to his surprise, Zabini began to chuckle before his laugh was cut by a painful groan.

"What's funny?" Harry asked the assassin who answered while maintaining a scornful smile "I remember you saying that you will break this neck of mine if I tried to hurt your muggle bitch. But all what I see now is a wound in my shoulder"

"True …" The auror replied "I could've easily removed your head from your shoulders" he then looked him in the eye before continuing "However, I still need that head in its place …"

"Oh, so you're still planning to waste your energy by Legilimency, are you?" Zabini stated teasingly "You already know that such mind readings won't gain you access to my mind. The only one who was able to do so is that muggle over there" a wicked smile appeared on his face before he resumed "That leaves you with only one option, to torture the information out of me. And we all know that you are too good to use the cruciatus curse"

Zabini knew that all what he said was true. He never questioned his own ability to read people's abilities and motives; but the confidant smile that appeared on Harry's face made his cast doubt on this ability for the first time in his life.

"You seem to read me well, Blaise …" The raven-haired auror said with the same confident smile "However, it's still not well enough"

Suddenly, Harry drove the sword deep into the assassin's shoulder causing him to emit a groan of pain "It is true that I won't stoop low into using something awful like the cruciatus curse" he said while the driving the sword further into his shoulder and, surprisingly, into the stone wall behind him. When the sword was completely sheathed into his shoulder, Zabini reach for his ear and whisper "However, there are other mean of torture that I have under my sleeve …"

The assassin didn't have time to ask about anything for a strong surge of electricity hit him in the shoulder and radiated to the whole body. And he knew exactly what Harry meant with other means as he screamed out of pain.

The torture lasted for one minute that seemed like eternity for Zabini. And finally when it was all over, he dropped to the ground totally exhausted. He even never groaned when Harry pulled out the sword out of his shoulder which was felt like a needle prick compared to what he has just experienced.

After Harry sheathed back his sword casually, he looked at his stunned comrades and said calmly "I feel that we should move quickly before it's too late …" he then walked past them before speaking again "Let's return to the headquarters for now"

------------------------------------------

"What a bloody weather …" Flint stated in dissatisfaction while eyeing the raging sea at the coast of Callan Glen "Like we have the time for such things"

"We could've gained more time if we went straight to our goal without these unnecessary stops" Swift retorted calmly while shielding himself from the winds, and Flint smiled at him before he replied "Now that what I call rashness. Before we do anything we should first make sure that no one is chasing after us …" he jumped off the rock before completing "Besides, I want to know the results of the mission I sent Zabini for"

"But that will only slow us now like it did just now …" Swift retorted rather annoyed "And someone might be following Zabini and would definitely expose us"

"And that's why I chose this island, because it is away from our goal …" Flint stated before ushering him to follow him "But you're right, any more delay is definitely not in our advantage"

They returned back to their headquarters where Flint ordered a couple of death eaters to meet up with him upon their arrival to his quarters, the young dark lord gave them their orders.

"As soon as the storm calms down, we will all move on to our next destination …" He said to them "However, the two of you will have to wait for Zabini's return" he then gave them a side glance before speaking again "You know what to do when he appears …"

"Aye, my lord" The two death eaters said in unison, and Flint nodded in satisfaction "Good, now get out of my sight …"

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"I will _not_, Harry!!" Hermione exclaimed in annoyance trying to reason with Harry who kept his cool behind his desk while retorting "Of course you will, this is an unofficial mission that requires highly trained aurors; which you are not …"

"I might not be an auror …" The young seer muttered slowly before looking at Harry in the eye "But I am highly trained"

Harry looked at her for a minute before he got up from his seat and turned his back on her and the rest of the aurors who were witnessing. He walked to the nearby perch where Fawkes was sitting and stroked the feathers of the regal birds slowly as if trying to gain more time to think.

"Your training is far from complete …" He finally said without turning around to face her "Sorry, but I cannot allow you to participate"

Hermione's hand began to shake and frustrated tears began to form in her eyes. She knew that he was angry because she used that technique. But she did not expect him to be that angry. Moreover, she did not expect him to be that cold to her now that she helped him and all.

"Excuse me …" Her voice fluttered as she muttered those words before leaving rushing outside the office, but not before slamming the door behind her as hard as she could. Harry, on the other hand, kept stroking Fawkes for a minute and only after that he turned around to his comrades showing a face full of concern and exhaustion.

"Now that's another bloody problem I have to deal with …" He said assuming his seat and held his head silently for yet another. His comrades respected his silence and never uttered a word for he was clearly assessing the status quo plus the new updates.

_'Flint is in Bermuda and is concocting something evil as usual; maybe opening another portal'_ Harry began to review the situation mentally _'He sent an assassin to kill me then his Occlumency was undone by Hermione and she revealed that he will meet up with Flint somewhere in Bermuda. Now, Hermione demands to participate in this quest claiming that we wouldn't have learned of Flint's new plans. And with her stubbornness been put into consideration, the result is … Argh!'_

The last word came out loudly despite his effort to maintain a passive face. And Ron chuckled when he sensed the dilemma his mate was in.

"Cornered by the Queen, eh mate?" The redhead said after his chuckle "But I have to admit though, that she looked very vexed to me"

"You have no idea …" Harry muttered his retort before assuming his commanding role again "Auror Ferguson, I believe you have a mission undertake"

"Yes, sir … I will leave as soon as I become the spit image of Zabini" Ferguson said and was about to take his leave, but the raised hand of Harry told him not to.

"Looking as Zabini is not what I intended you to be …" The raven-haired auror stated "Any auror with a polyjuice potion would do the trick. However, a single move from him, a single wrong move, and they will notice the difference" he leaned forward resting his head on his hands with a smile on his face "Did you think that I would let you bustle around a group of death eaters wearing an unconvincing face of one of their elite? I was actually gonna let you study the psychological files Auror Howards collected for that very matter. That is before Detective Granger pulled her last stunt, which saved us a lot of precious time, as a matter of fact" he leaned forward and pointed a serious finger at the metamorphmagus auror "As an espionage specialist, you know better than me what makes a good mimicry means; not only face, but face and character. We've obtained the latter with a strike of luck. So that leaves us with only one task to do, the one you've said earlier … Becoming the spit image of Blaise Zabini"

"I will start right away, sir" Ferguson said while saluting his superior, and Harry looked at him in the eye before stating with slow words "This is the inner circle we're speaking of, Ferguson; the very death eaters Flint trusts; the very death eaters he knows like the back of his hand … Be careful out there"

"Aye, sir …" Ferguson saluted his superior one last time before leaving the room, only then Harry leaned back on his chair emitting a sigh of relief.

"What's the matter with you Harry? You are not acting yourself at all?" Tonks spoke after her long silence during the whole thing with Zabini "I've never seen you losing control like this before. Not since when you first entered the auror academy …"

"Yes, I know that. She's the only one who can make me lose control to this extent; she knows me very well … Too well" Harry replied to none in particular before waving dismissively "Anyway, this is not the best time or place for such things. Tell me, Tonks …" he addressed the pink head auror "What are you going to do now that you are free of the director's burden?"

Tonks pondered for a minute before answering him "Minister Bones never told me to do anything after I inform you of the recent changes, and I don't intend to work under that dolt of a director. So, I'm left with one choice …" she got off her seat and saluted him formally with a smile playing on her face "Senior Auror Tonks at your service, sir"

Harry and Ron looked at her in surprise before the latter lean back in his chair in relief "At last someone to take over this bloody position …" Ron said causing Harry to crack a smile. Tonks, however, had another opinion in store.

"New higher- ups are not eligible for leadership until they are tested properly, rule number three in section five of the Death Trackers regulations … That is _if_ you have forgotten" She said with a naughty smile "And I don't intend to compete for another sensitive position. Sorry Ronnie …"

Ron pouted at her cheeky retort while Harry couldn't hold his laugh "In your face, mate. And with me officially on vacation …" He leaned forward before continuing with a naughty smile similar to Tonks' on his face "I hope you are in mood for some report scribing, Ron"

"You two …" the redhead auror said with an angry huff causing both of his comrades to laugh at him for a minute.

"Alright, that was a good laugh, now for business …" Harry said while suppressing his chuckle and his comrades looked at him with their laughs faded into smiles "Due to the recent events that includes the installation of Scrimgeour and the lucky shot which allowed us to know the whereabouts of Flint. I think the mission will be so difficult to take place officially"

"True …" Tonks remarked "And with us, the Elite Three, working together once again, I doubt that that dolt will even be more unpleasant"

"So, that leaves us with only one choice in hand, eh mate?" Ron said in a way that was more of a statement than a question. And Harry nodded at his words "Yes, it's a mission for the Order …"

"Brilliant, when do we start, then" Tonks said in joy, but the serious look on Harry's face and him pulling out his wand caused her a bit tension.

"After I do this …" Harry said slowly translating his words into a wand wave, and the door suddenly burst open with three persons dropping to the ground.

"Ouch! Get off me you two!" The woman who was under the other two demanded.

"Tell that to Vlad; he is the one on top of us both, and he must weigh at least a ton …" the dark skinned man said causing the said person to grumble. And Harry held his forehead in annoyance.

"Oh sweet Merlin …" The raven-haired auror muttered before eyeing the three eavesdroppers who were none other than the IAST trio "Aurors … Assemble!!"

The trio stood firm while Harry eyed them in apparent ire "What in the bloody name of Merlin's hat do you think you're doing?"

"We heard from Auror Ferguson that Flint has been found and a mission is in place, so we thought of requesting to take part in it" Vlad was the first to speak, and Harry looked at him before stating "And you thought I left the application forms outside my office, right?"

"It was Dick's idea, sir" Sofia while eyeing the said auror who grimace before retorting himself "And you two agreed with me …"

"Enough!!" Harry bellowed causing the tree flinch "I don't know if he mentioned that too, but this is an unofficial mission. Which means that none of you will take part in …"

"We made our minds, sir …" Vlad said then Dick took over "We will take part into this mission …" finally Sofia concluded "Even if it meant our demotion, sir"

Harry switched his hard gaze between three before his softened into a smile "At ease …"

He turned around and walked back to his desk were he assumed his seat. He then looked once more at the trio before exchanging meaningful look with his comrades.

"So … Do you think they're ready?" Harry asked out of the blue in what seemed quaint for the death tracker newbies, and Ron answered him "It is your decision to make, mate …"

"Well, I think they are more than ready …" The raven-haired auror stated while scribbling something on a piece of parchment before holding it up "Come on the lot of you … Take it"

"What is it, sir?" Vlad asked cautiously while complying with the order, and Harry leaned back on his chair with a confident smile on his face "Just read it …"

The Russian auror looked at what's written on the piece of parchment with the other two cocking their heads to join. However, all what they saw was a single phrase … _Number Twelve Grimmauld Place_"

"What does that mean?" Sofia inquired, and Harry answered her with the same smile "It means that I hereby welcome you to the Order …"

The aurors looked at him with utter shock, then Dick was the first to stutter "Y-You mean _the Order_?!"

"What else?" Tonks retorted "The Order of the Phoenix …" the trio looked at her in awe that caused Harry's smile to widen before he assumed a serious face.

"Now, what we're going to do is wait for Ferguson to leave then follow him exactly after one day … To Bermuda" he stated before leaning forward "On the other hand, I have to inform you of certain points that you must adhere to now that you are members of the order …"

They looked at him in interest as he carried on "This order was established to defy the growing menace of the former dark lord, Voldemort …" the name caused a little flinch to course through them and Harry ignored it "But now that he's dead, it became dedicated to oppose the death eater remnants, now the neo-Death Eaters led by Flint, anywhere in the world"

"But isn't that the job of the death trackers, sir?" Vlad asked a reasonable questions and Harry nodded "True, but when certain obstacles is placed by the Ministry, then the official path is shut" he then pointed at them and continued "And that is where is should tell you this; do not under any circumstances divulge the nature or hideout of the Order to anyone" The piece of parchment suddenly ignited and Vlad threw it on the floor looking at Harry in tension "And I mean anyone; not colleague, not a friend, and by any measures not a family member …"

"Aye, sir …" The trio saluted him firmly, and Harry smiled at them before remembering something and getting up

"Ah yes, there is one particular person I must mention regarding this …" he said calmly before looking at them "Do _not_ tell Hermione of any of this …"

The aurors nodded in compliance and he turned to the door "Now excuse me, there is a certain someone I must apologize to …"

------------------------------------

After sometime of searching, Harry knocked the door of one annexed rest room before opening it slowly. And he saw Hermione leaning on a table, then her head shot up and she wiped her face while her back was on him.

"May I come in?" he asked courtly before a surprise look appeared on his face when he was welcomed with red teary eyes.

"Have you come to place more constraint on my life?" She said with fluttering voice although some fury can be felt in it.

"I came to apologize …" he replied calmly while walking towards her. However, she got up and walked away from him "The only apology I will accept is letting me participate in this mission"

"You know that it won't happen …" Harry retorted more calmly "This is not a normal mission, Hermione; I don't have enough aurors to protect you-"

"Why do you always think like that, Harry?!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed "Why do you always treat me like a burden?"

"I never said you are, Hermione. I just-" He tried to calm her down, but her anger was beyond mending "We trained together for a whole month, we even fought that abomination with brilliant team work …" she looked him straight in the eye, and emerald met teary hazelnut "Two are One, Harry; or have you forgotten that, too?"

"I did not …" He said with a calm smile "But this time we do not what Flint is up to, or to what extent he reach in opening the portal-"

"He is not opening a portal …" She suddenly stated causing him to look at her seriously "The portal is already open …"

Harry looked at her with widened eyes before pacing the room back and forth thinking deeply of the new ill-news she just said. He then looked at her intently before muttering slowly "Since when did you know that?"

"Since I read the mind of that death eater …" She said with shaky voice despite her effort to make it steady "And you never gave me the chance to tell you …"

"Indeed …" He admitted her accusation while pondering on what to do next before making up his mind "Alright, I will let you join …" a smile appeared on her face not believing if what she heard was true. However, he stopped her from showing her joy with a pointed finger "Under one condition; you will always stick with me no matter what"

"Yes, sir" she saluted him happily and he smiled at her before walking to the door leaving his bushy hair friend almost jumping in glee.

"And Hermione …" He suddenly said gaining back her attention before turning around with a cheeky smile "I hope you are not afraid of flight …"

* * *

_**A/N:**_ Okay, that is it for this chapter. Dull, slow-paced, but it is indeed not a filler chapter. I'm sorry for the delay, though; for _someone_ said it is almost two months since the last update, but it is for a reason, I'm pulling graveyard shifts again. However, the next chapter will intrigue you all, especially those who call themselves H/Hr shippers … Cheers.

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease


	7. Misguided

_**Disclaimer:**_ Don't Own, don't care; except for few things here and there.

_**A/N:**_ Well, what should I say? A party gonna take place, came on and join. Only its place is after these events (Heh, Heh, Heh)…

* * *

**Misguided**

In a desolate alley behind the Old Rectory, Zabini appeared out of dark dust. He looked around to make sure that no one witnessed his 'unusual' arrival before he took off his black robes revealing casual muggle clothes. After stashing the black robes into the expanding pouch, he walked out of the alley and into the bustling street of St. George's town. No body seemed to care about him while he walked toward King's Square where he waiting for thirty minutes before feeling a nudge on his back.

"Move …" The person who nudged him said slowly and he complied without a word. They walked away from the square through the southern harbour aiming for Ordnance Island. When they reached their destination; an unattended plot of land, two other persons appeared. However, they were wearing dark robes like the one he placed in the pouch and were pointing their wands at him dangerously.

"Password …" The person who guided him to this location demanded and the assassin death eater looked at him coolly before replying "Neo-World"

As soon as he finished saying the words, the death eaters lowered their wands and stood firmly. And this time it was Zabini's turn to ask the question.

"Where is Flint?" The assassin death eater asked coldly and the guide answered him immediately "Change in plan, he is waiting for us in a new location …"

"Let's go, then" Zabini said and began to walk, but the death eater grabbed him by the shoulder halting him "First, there is something our lord demanded for us to know"

The death eater never thought that he did something wrong until he saw the cold stare that Zabini gave him and felt his knees quiver.

"Touch me again …" The assassin death eater retorted darkly "And I guarantee that you will lose more than just a limb"

Zabini, who was actually Ferguson in disguise, smiled inwardly at the quivering death eater; the assassin death eater certainly wasn't the friendliest one at all, which would serve well on the mission.

_'All What I have to worry about is Swift and Flint himself'_ The spy auror thought to himself before turning his back on the shivering death eater who tried to stop him once again, and this time there was no grabbing.

"S-Sorry for that, but the dark lord wanted to know if Harry Potter was assassinated or not …" the death eater said with wavering voice, and the disguised auror turned around and eyed him coldly before answering "He's still alive, unfortunately"

The auror's eyes widened in shock before he paced around in concern "This is bad, this is very bad" he mumbled while walking back and forth before pointing at the two death eaters "You two, stay behind with the rest and monitor the situation here in the island. We will move on"

The death eaters nodded before one of them disappeared in a dark swirl. Ferguson looked at his guide in wonder. However, the death eater answered him before he spoke a word.

"Just few measures the dark lord ordered us to take in case the assassination attempt fails for some reason" The death eater said with apparent nervousness "It's not our concern anyway, we have to be on our why to the main group …"

"And they happen to be … Where?" Ferguson asked in indifference. The guide, however, shook his head disapproval.

"This you will know after we reach there … By side-apparition" The guide death eater stated and he wished he didn't when he saw the look on Ferguson's face.

"You seem to know nothing of me. I _am_ an assassin death eater, and we assassins are not that trusting to let someone whom we just met side-apparates us to a place we don't even know …" Ferguson said dangerously in a way that would win him applause if he was on stage. He did not act as Zabini, he _lived_ as Zabini.

"Now, if you want me to spare your miserable life, then start talking …" The metamorphmagus auror carried on with his polishing of his dreadful façade, and the death eater guide was baffled by the sudden demand; it was against the plan that Flint has already put.

The observing death eater, seeing the plan almost going astray, pulled out his wand intending to 'persuade' Ferguson to comply. However, he knew the error of his intentions when one of his fingers was amputated by Ferguson who actually drew his own wand ages before he did.

"Didn't your mother teach you not to meddle into other people's affairs?" Ferguson mouthed coldly but the death eater was too busy to heed him. He dropped to his knee and screaming in agony while clutching his injured hand not believing what've just happened to him.

As for the guide, his feelings have certainly changed after this short quarrel. All his eagerness and determination to finish his task perfectly was replaced by nothing but one emotion; fear … And fear only.

"Enough distractions for now …" Ferguson said with the wand still at hand and turned back to the guide who flinched a bit "You seem to be rather stubborn, then a short stroll in the square might do the trick" he nudged him in the back with his wand in a silent command to walk before commenting again "And if it didn't, there are other methods I possess that would certainly make a change of heart …"

The guide death eater gulped soundly and walked in surrender knowing that he is no match to the elite assassin if he tried to resist, so he went with the only choice he had hoping Flint would be considerate.

Ferguson, on the other hand, couldn't be happier at the smooth progress of the plan, even with the feeling of repulsion at what he should do to make it happen. He looked at the pained death eater then back at the yielding guide before stealthily dropping a same object on the ground, and the second part of the plan was accomplished.

_**"Impressive … However, your insistence was a bit over the edge"**_

"What! Who!" Ferguson said when he heard the last statement pointing his wand at multiple directions while looking for the source. The guide death eater turned around and looked at him in confusion "What is it?"

"Didn't you hear it?" The metamorph under guise inquired seriously and the guide hearkened for a minute before shaking his head "The only thing I hear the fauna of the island and that bloke other there …"

"But I swear I-" Ferguson tried to prove that he's not imagining but the guide was true. So he snorted loudly before pointing his wand again "Never mind; move …"

The death eater sighed and turned around resuming his walk while muttering something about paranoid assassins. He was lucky, though, that Ferguson was not in the mood to reply his disrespect properly for his mind was already occupied with this very recent incident.

_'I swear I heard someone, but who? And his voice …'_ He didn't complete his thought because it was so irrational. The voice he heard was awfully familiar; a voice he knew very well …

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"Are we there yet?" Hermione called at the top of her voice with her eyes completely shut. She wouldn't dare to open them when all what she could see is miles and miles of water stretching into all directions, especially when the only thing that prevents from dropping towards it was a mere wooden stick.

"For the fifteenth time, Hermione, we are not …" Harry answered her while eyeing the horizon in front of him with difficulty; it was the first light of dawn after all. He then felt Hermione's arms tighten around him.

"I can't do this, please turn back …" She said almost in a plea and he sighed "I warned you about it, Hermione. But you still wanted to go …"

"I changed my mind. Now turn back … Please" She retorted with a voice proves that panic began to take over her. And the raven-haired man sighed helplessly trying to solve this new problem. However, relief came in the form of purplehead woman.

"Land in sight!" Tonks called loudly causing the group to look at where she was pointing and Harry could hear Hermione muttering _"Finally …"_

"The GPS shows that it is our targeted destination; the island of Bermuda" Dick said while observing a device he was holding "And it is fifty miles to the southwest of the main island …"

"Which with be our first checkpoint …" Harry said in determination before turning to his companions "Come on, everyone. Make haste before the sunrise or it will be a bloody awkward scene to explain …"

"Harry! Please don't move!" Hermione exclaimed and tightened her grasp even more. The raven-haired auror sighed before looking at his best mate "Ron, you take the lead. I will be your vanguard …"

"What do you mean!" Hermione inquired opening her eyes accidentally but she shut them down again when she saw the height they were flying at. Harry's answer was not mere words. Instead, she felt the wind grazing across her face and her whole body dropped backwards. She knew exactly what she would see when she opened her eyes wide and full of scare.

"Haaarryyyyyyyyy!" A high-pitched scream filled the air overtopped the laughs of the aurors except Harry who was extremely overjoyed; he almost forgot the thrill of flying above the clouds where nothing but the azure blue around him.

After few minutes that seemed hours to Hermione, they reached the island before the others, and Harry dismounted from the broom then helped Hermione in doing the same which she did shakily. When she finally stood on both feet, she felt as if her legs turned into two over-cooked spaghetti noodles.

"I will never ride that roller coaster thing with you ever again …" She said in a trembling voice while taking her first steps like a first time walking toddler, and Harry laughed at her before ending his laugh with a mischievous smirk.

"Consider it payback for what you did to me yesterday …" He stated naughtily and the bushy-haired woman sat on a nearby rock and looked at him with a yielding smile "You really know how to exact your revenge …"

He flashed a teeth-baring playful smile before retorting "I'm not famous for nothing, ya' know?" they both laughed at his comment for a minute before the laughter faded into chuckles and finally into smiles. Harry then turned around and tried to check the surroundings while they wait for the others to come. However, the day was still young and nothing was clear still.

"Oh well …" He said as he took his seat beside her "I we have nothing to do until the others arrive …"

"I can check their status if you want" Hermione suggested and her raven-haired friend gave her a meaningful look "Just don't hurt yourself this time …"

"Relax and trust me …" She retorted surely before closing her eyes and beginning the process. All what Harry was able to do this time was to look at her face where a confident smile appeared; she surely matured after her experience at Matsurumi Village. She was no longer the shaky, hot-tempered woman she used to be. Instead, a confident, able one took her place; although he had to admit that her stubbornness remained untouched.

His eyes descended from her face and a blush appeared on his when his gaze reached where it shouldn't be. Maybe her traits were still developing; however, her looks were fully developed. Harry scolded himself for such thought of his muggle friend and got off to check the sea; it was more self-respecting than checking her anyway. However, he did not take more than few steps before he heard her speaking.

"They're here …" She said while look up to the stretching horizon before them and he followed her gaze to where she looked. At first he only saw thick fog, but when he looked deeply he saw several silhouettes that he recognized as his auror comrades.

"Well, if that means anything …" Harry said before giving her his trademark grin "It means that you powers have never waned a bit after that cursed ritual …"

Hermione smiled at him without word of reply and Harry turned around to signal his location with a Lumos spell using his trusty wand that he unholstered. After everyone has landed safely they gathered around in a desolate place for a quick discussion of their next step.

"So …" Harry spoke the first "Before we do anything, we need to know our exact location on this island" he said while looking at Dick meaningfully who took the cue and gave the device few strokes.

"We're in a place southwest parish of the island which is called Southampton Parish …" The Intel specialist said "And we are just a few miles from Horseshoe Bay"

"Brilliant, with our location known, it is time for the next step. But first I want to ask you a question …" Harry said then looked at them "Has anyone been into this island before?" the group looked to one another in hope while some of them shook their heads in negation and Harry sighed deeply.

"No matter, I was just hoping to have some forward steps, but it seems we have to start from ground zero" He said with apparent frustration before regaining his resolve face "Anyway, before doing a sweep of any kind we have to secure a forward base, and it will be …" he pulled out the map of the island and spun his finger around until it landed on a certain spot.

"Here …" He said "The Capital City of Hamilton. Now, Dick if you please hand me three GPS devices" the Intel auror complied with his request and pulled out the devices out of his expandable pouch and handed them to his superior. Harry accepted them graciously and looked at the rest of the team.

"Next, I'm gonna name the initial scout teams. Walking around in a group of seven is definitely not the best tactic" He stated then handed one device to Hermione "The first team will be me and Hermione …" Hermione accepted the GPS device in wonder not noticing the faint naughty smile that played on Tonks' lips.

"The second will be Ron and Tonks …" Hearing her name snapped Tonks from her mischievous thoughts and she saw Harry handing Ron their own device "The third team is Dick and Sofia, and you have your own GPS of course"

Dick nodded at his leader's statement, whereas the latter turned to the last member of their group "Vlad, I know it would be difficult for someone to manage both scouting and fighting at the same time, but I've always considered you a unique case and an auror with the power of two …" he handed him the last device with a smile "You will be the fourth team"

The Russian auror couldn't reply his Harry's compliment; after such commendation … Who would? And by whom; by Harry Potter no less. The blond auror's face flushed out of modesty and the words were caught in his throat. Finally, he was able to move and saluted his leader firmly "Thank you, sir"

"There is no need to salute me, Vlad …" Harry retorted before he looked to the IAST trio "In fact, there is something I must emphasize. As you all know, this is not a ministry mission. Actually, we don't want the ministry to know about it. So, any 'Sir' callings or formal salutes are prohibited …" a smile appeared on his face as he continued "Act professionally, but not too professionally"

"Yes, sir" The trio said before looking at each other blankly. And Harry sighed holding his forehead in hopelessness "Sweet Merlin …"

Hermione and Tonks laughed at the situation while Ron maintained a smile, which all died when Harry assumed back his serious look "Okay, fun is over for now. Everyone, set your headphones on emergency channel three …"

The team complied with the order. Now, all is set and the invisible headphones are in place; Harry looked at them for a minute before ordering "Disperse!" and the scout teams disapparated …

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!CRACK!

Two apparition cracks sounded in a place tens of miles away from our friends and two hooded figures walked out of the dark mist. One of them seemed extremely restless while the other sauntered as if he carries no worries at all.

"Let's the bloody move, Zabini …" The restless death eater addressed his companion with a tone matching his demeanor "It is your fault that we are behind schedule"

"Relax. We're already on the correct island per your saying, so there is no need to be hasty …" The disguised Ferguson retorted calmly "Besides, there is no harm in an innocent stroll on the beach"

_"Yeah, you don't have to worry; you're an inner circle after all"_ The guide death eater mumbled under his breath, but not low enough for Ferguson has heard his murmur.

"Excuse me?" The faux assassin inquired and the guide death eater shook his head nervously "N-Nothing important. All what I want to say is that we have to make haste or we'll be late for the gathering"

"You are already late …" A dark voice came from behind causing the hairs of both death eaters to stand. While one of them was unfamiliar with the source of the voice, the other knew exactly what grim face he will look upon when he turns around … The face of Marcus Flint.

"M-My lord …" the guide said with trembling voice and kneeled in front of his master. To be frank, his knees would've given up by themselves if he hadn't kneeled willingly "I apologize for the delay, but Za-"

"Leave us …" Flint commanded abruptly causing the guide death eater to be surprised. He was prepared for the worst since he disobeyed a direct order, but the response he received was totally unexpected.

"Master, I can assure you that it wasn't my fau-" The death eater tried to reason with the dark lord. However, the leer given to him by Flint cut him mid-sentence.

"I thought I ordered you to leave" Flint spoke icily causing the guide to shudder "You should thank your luck we lack the number in this mission or I would've disposed both of you …"

The guide death eater kept silent for a second before he lowered his head in submission and disapparated immediately leaving the elite death eaters alone. And now it was the time for Ferguson to feel the fear.

"As for you … Zabini" Flint addressed the faux assassin who was giving his back "When would you accomplish a mission without disregarding your given orders. Or you want me to add insubordination to your ever-growing list of vices …" Ferguson was visibly shaking right now. And because Flint wasn't seeing his frightened face he mistook it for mockery.

"Face me Zabini!" Flint bellowed angrily and the disguised Ferguson jolted. He must've stressed too much on the act of neglect as Zabini "I-I …"

_**"You are such a worthless spy. Perhaps I should take over for the time being …"**_

"What!" Ferguson spoke loudly; it was the second time he heard that voice and it was awfully familiar, plus it was driving him crazy; he could feel his mind washed with ice water just like the time he was in the mind transfer ritual. Flint, on the other hand, felt that something was out of shape with Zabini's behavior, especially the last word he just said "What on earth are you babbling about!"

"I will tell you, alright …" With the stuttering amazingly gone, Ferguson spoke in sheer confidence, yet in his confident voice a hint of anger has appeared "This mission … This _simple_ mission you sent me on was not a mission at all; it was a death sentence"

"I dare to assume from the words you uttered that Potter survived …" Flint said with a stone face "And I see that he has spared you as well"

"I am only alive because he never noticed my presence …" Ferguson interjected firmly "Everyone else on my team is dead"

As he heard the last words, Flint's face turned pale. He gazed upon Ferguson's face with the same strict face, but his voice failed to bear the same strictness "D-Dead …"

"Yes, dead to the last man …" The faux assassin said with scornful smile on his face and Flint asked again "All twenty of them?"

"All the twenty turned into many …" Ferguson stated in a puzzling way before smiling again "In pieces, I mean" he turned his back on the baffled Flint and resumed his talk "We all know that it is unusual of the legendary Harry Potter to do such massacre, being a foolish bloke who believes in the honor of battle" He turned around wearing the same scornful smile "Bollocks, if you asked me …"

"But then why he killed them?" Flint asked rather aggressively, but the assassin kept his cool stance as he answered "Ah, now you ask me why. A reasonable question indeed"

Ferguson walked away again while answering "You see, there is always a thing that turns people against their own ideal; a thing that unleashes the monster inside of them. Even Potter has a monster like this and those idiots released it from its strains by simply doing one foolish move" He looked back again and answered "They injured his muggle friend"

Flint raised an eyebrow before he regained his stony face "Quite foolish, indeed" he said "Then Potter still protects this muggle just like he did when I sent Nott"

"Exactly …" Ferguson retorted "That's the point I want to get to; you sent me on this suicide mission knowing that it would turn like the last time with Nott"

Flint did not reply immediately. Instead, he gazed upon Ferguson wearing the same cold expressions before speaking "I assure you that I did not intend anything; I simply miscalculated the upcoming event"

"Miscalculated, my arse …" The faux assassin bellowed angrily "You only wanted to dispose of me"

"Mind your words, Zabini …" Flint interrupted him with a glare "Don't forget that I'm still your master"

Ferguson gave the dark lord a long silent gaze "My master …" he finally muttered "My master, you say. Then if you don't mind, master, let me remind you of a few things"

He took a step towards the Flint while pointing up his thumb "First thing, you are only a dark lord because the three of us agreed on it. And with the three I mean me, you, and Nott. Secondly …" and he pointed another finger "This dark lord position you assumed was to ensure us some good profit. And from what I see, it ensured Nott a one-way ticket through the veil and gave me more dangerous missions" he gave him a disgusted look and muttered "The only one who has profited from this position was you"

"Zabini …" Flint spoke calmly, but the said assassin was beyond calm "Don't you interrupt me now; all what you meant by those high risk missions was to eliminate me indirectly and without fingers pointing at you. I'm only a threat to you being the only one left who knows how you ascended the throne of the death eaters. So you are thinking, why don't you send me on a deadly mission hoping that I don't come back so that the place is secured for you and some ignorant second-rate death eater" he shook a finger in remember "Which reminds me of that Irish bastard …"

Flint raised an eyebrow of wonder; that was clearly unexpected "Swift … What about him!" he inquired and the faux assassin stated in the same ire "With Nott gone, I should be the one who should be the second-in-command not that intruding mudblood. Either this or I'm out of the game …"

The dark lord gave Ferguson a long indifferent gaze before he pulled his wand and a tattered old booklet. He tapped the booklet and it glowed blue "We'll continue our friendly chitchat later, for now we need to concentrate on our grand plan …" he then threw the booklet on the ground in front of the angry assassin "Follow me when you blow the steam off your head" and he disappeared right away. Zabini waited for a few seconds before the angry looks on his face changed into a mocking smile, only to dissolve when a flush took over and he dropped to his knees panting.

_**"That's how you act the role properly. Plus, that bellowing on Flint helped to let off some steam on him …"**_

The voice echoed in his head again while Ferguson could not reply with the heavy pants taking place. And when he was able to, his voice as almost tearful "What are you?"

_**"I'm you. Or to be precise, the real you …"**_ The voice echoed maliciously _**"You thought you can steal my identity without a price … No friggin' way"**_

"Y-You …" the disguised spy stuttered before the voice answered _**"Zabini, who else? But have no fear for I will not do you any harm. On the contrary, I will help you get near Flint and sabotage his plans. That bastard of a master deserves Hell for letting me get caught. However, this truce is on until I feel like putting you out permanently and taking over myself"**_ a hint of mockery could be heard in the voice when it echoed again _**"So, take care of that body for both of us; shall you?"**_

The voice faded with a laugh that rang in Ferguson's head for a minute still. He then dropped to the ground sobbing which was unusual of a trained spy like him. But the side effect of that ritual that appeared was unplanned, the worst of all …

--------------------------------------------------------

"You're joking …" A shout of disbelief came out of Hermione when she eyed the building in front of them "You're definitely joking"

"And why is that?" Harry asked innocently while shuffling through the contents of his bag. Hermione looked at him seriously and retorted in an annoyed voice "Honestly Harry; who in their right mind would pick up a five star hotel for a hideout!"

"Simply as it is, I just did it …" He answered her coolly earning him a disapproved glare from his muggle friend. So he tried to justify with a statement "Rule number one in espionage; if you want to hide something, put it somewhere obvious"

"Well, it's too bloody obvious for me …" She mumbled in objection earning her a chuckle from Harry and nothing more. They walked through the doors of the grand hotel and they found themselves standing in the luxurious lobby where they saw few people who looked like upper class personages talking, smoking and reading newspapers. Some of those people looked at the newcomers before their faces twisted into looks of contempt which caused Hermione a little bit of nervousness. Harry however ignored all this and went straight to the reception desk.

"Excuse me …" He addressed the receptionist who turned towards him slowly "May I help you?" Hermione could sense a hint of haughtiness in his voice and feared the upcoming clash knowing Harry's detest for such behaviors.

"I would like to lodge a suite for a week or so" The raven haired auror stated coolly and the receptionist raised his eyebrows in wonderment before shaking his head "I'm sorry, but we can only accept early bookings not on-site ones. In addition, this hotel's luxurious accommodations are a bit expensive and can only be afforded by the upper-class of society" he gave them a side glance before adding "Which I doubt you are part of …"

He cannot be any more accurate, or that's what Hermione thought. Their clothes are casual and their entrance was more like an intrusion. While those people in the lobby on the other hand are more like aristocrats; even their haughty manners are adding a bit of spice to their final picture. So compared to them, she and Harry are a couple of misfits. However, Harry had another idea.

"If you are afraid of that my cheeky fellow then rest assured, I can pay you in cash" Harry said in the same cool way while shuffling through his bag. The receptionist looked at him in confusion before he replied in ire "I think you misheard me; I said this hotel is-"

"In advance …" Harry said with a smile while slapping bundle of banknotes causing some of the attendees to look for the source of the commotion. Some of them even looked amazed to see such a large sum of money to be in possession of a young-looking man. Even the receptionist paled when he saw that wad of cash.

"F-Forgive my misjudgment sir; unfortunately, the main problem is still on" With all his pompous attitude gone, the receptionist spoke with a stutter that replaced it "D-Due to recent changes in hotel's policies obligate me not to accept any on-site bookings" the look of displeasure on Harry's face was the last thing he wanted to see. So he mend his mistake "However, there is someone who can override these policies; the hotel manager, Mr. McPherson"

"Call for him, then …" Harry said in impatience and the nervous employee complied immediately. Harry then looked at Hermione with a smile which she responded to with one of her own.

"You know how to push people around, Mr. angry bloke …" She remarked cheekily and Harry wiggled his brows while waving the wad of cash at her "No one can resist the effect of this bundle; this is the true magic …"

Hermione laughed at his remark before she saw the receptionist come back along with another person beside him. This particular person was wearing a formal suit unlike the work outfit of the receptionist which made her safely assume that he was the manager.

"I'm terribly sorry for the inconvenience, good sir. I'm Paul McPherson, manager of Atlantica Oceanica Hotel …" The formal man stated nervously confirming Hermione just assumed "I heard from Edward here that you requested an on-site booking Mr. …"

"Smith …" Harry calmly answered "Henry Smith, of Smith and Co. Bank" The manager's face paled even more when he heard the name, Harry on the other hand carried on "And yes, I request a booking which we should discuss immediately along with other matters" he looked at the manager in the ye and said meaningfully "Including you hotel's financial standing"

"W-Why of course!" The manager advocated the suggestion for he had no other choice "Then may we do that in some place suitable … My office, perhaps?"

"Fair enough …" Harry agreed coolly and the two men left the lobby for the manager office leaving Hermione and the receptionist alone. The nervous employee returned to his station ignoring Hermione in process and trying not to make any eye contact with her, especially after what he did to her and Harry. Hermione didn't bother with his attempts as she made her way to the public lounge and took a seat beside a woman that was reading a newspaper. She picked up a newspaper of her own and skimmed through it looking for an interesting article to help her pass time before she was interrupted by none other than the woman beside her.

"Are you his wife?" the woman asked causing Hermione to look off the paper and at her in confusion "Sorry?"

"Sorry for being rude, but I accidentally eavesdropped on your conversation back there …" The woman stated politely putting her newspaper aside "Not much of an eavesdropping when people speak loudly I say. Anyway, the point is that overheard that that young man is _the_ Henry Smith …" the woman looked at her in inquiry "Is it true?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and answered "Well … It is what you heard" the woman then stated again "And you are his wife, I presume …"

The sudden assumption overtook Hermione whose heart skipped a beat before she regained her composure and answered again "Erm … Yeah"

"Splendid!" The woman said in delight "I was looking forward to have the honor of meeting Mr. Smith" she extended her hand to the baffled Hermione "Amy Price …"

Hermione accepted the extended hand immediately although and cracked a smile "Anna Smith, pleased to meet you …"

"The pleasure is mine actually. You see, I always wanted to meet Mr. Smith with a business proposition regarding one of our projects in-"

"To be honest with you, I don't know a thing about my husband's business" Hermione interrupted faking a confused smile that was she didn't made an effort to put it on; for it was actually a real confusion "Frankly; he manages the family income while I manage the expenditure"

A half-hearted laugh emitted from Amy "Oh, I see. Wives' best job; though I was hoping to have a word with Mr. Smith" Hermione was at the end of her ropes at the moment as this conversation seemed to go on endlessly. However, her salvation came when she saw Harry coming out of the office along with the hotel manager.

"Take your chance, then …" Hermione said as she stood up hoping that Harry would have a better chance at shaking this tenacious fly. She then walked toward him with that Amy woman at her tail until they came near enough to hear the conclusion of the private meeting.

"… So, I hope that no other unfortunate evens will take place in the future, okay?" Harry commented calmly while shaking the hands of McPherson and the manager used both of his hands to hold Harry's as he agreed "Definitely, sir. And I hope you enjoy the accommodations here"

The manager then greeted both of them before he left for his office. Harry turned to Hermione with a smile then the strange woman beside her.

"Yes, may I help you?" He asked formally and Amy introduced herself "Amy Price, of Price electro-technology; I was hoping to present our business proposition to you directly, Mr. Smith"

"I'm sorry, but I take it that you've noticed that I'm off duty at the moment" He interjected with more formal tone "And I have to mention that discussing business during my holiday ruins my mood to a point where I reject any proposition beforehand" he looked her in the eyes directly "So, I advice you to give your proposition to the business department in the bank for a better chance"

The woman bought the bluff easily and backed off in nervousness "I-I think I will take your advice for the moment …" she then said her goodbyes and went off immediately. The couple took a short walk to the elevator lobby from where they took a vacant elevator to the upper floors.

The elevator trip was silent; too silent for a person as inquisitive as Hermione. She may have kept a calm exterior but deep inside curiosity was gnawing her with questions of how he was able to convince the hotel manager so quickly.

"So …" She broke the silence whilst looking at Harry who was standing very calm opposite to her "Seeing the key to the suite in your hand, I can safely assume that you have succeeded into convincing them to look things your way" she finally asked with her curiosity surfacing up her face "How did you do it?"

Harry cracked a wide smile over what he saw "I knew you would ask this question. I just wanted to know how long you can tolerate it before you ask" he leaned at her with the same smile "Frankly, your tolerance is almost nil"

She frowned at his revelation and put her hands on her waist "Honestly Harry; those psychoanalysis games do not suit you. Besides, your little lie almost got me into trouble; that woman thought that I'm your wife and never seized to speak about you. Mr. Smith this, Mr. Smith that …" she shook a warning finger at him "You better pray that the real Mr. Smith does not appear during our stay here"

"Don't worry about that …" Harry simply rejected her concerns causing her to puff in anger "O I have to; especially when you are using a known man's identity …" her disapproval was voiced rather loudly, even here mumble afterwards "Who in his bloody right mind would use a celebrity for a decoy, anyway?"

The raven haired man smiled at his friend's disapprobation and looked at the floor screen before he retorted vaguely "Maybe I wasn't _using_ a celebrity's name after all …"

"What!" Hermione bellowed at him in a mix of confusion and ire "What are babbling about?"

"I am Henry Smith …" That last revelation was like a silent bomb thrown into the elevator; even a real bomb wouldn't have done the same effect of that last statement. On the other hand, Harry carried on with his revelation.

"Henry Smith; British businessman who inherited his father's bank in Bermuda and aided the local businesses to thrive with his feasible loans …" He stated with looking at none in particular before he looked at Hermione with a smiling face "Apparently, he and Harry Potter are the same person …"

She looked at him with eyes full of confusion, then asked the questioned that came to her first "Then which one is the real you?" her question was reasonable for a person who hears such a mess of a statement and his reply was his usual calm smile.

"I am Harry …" answered the young auror "Henry is a made up name. In fact, it is but one of many pseudonyms I use when I want to travel around undetected"

Hermione's confused looks changed into one big smile that convoyed her liking of his brilliant ideas. Also, this was one of the few times Harry demonstrated his financial standing, and it was as amusing as always.

"You never seize to amaze me, Mr. Smith …" She said with the same big smile that appeared on Harry's face as well "Especially with that coolness and wit of yours"

"This is all for your own comfort … My beloved wife" Harry said with a comical bow before the elevator stopped signaling the end of their trip. And when the door opened, he held it and gestured her elegantly to exit "Now, may I escort you to our suite?

"Why certainly …" Hermione replied with a giggle "And you can call me Anna, by the way" they went to their suite together and when they walked inside Hermione emitted a long amazed whistle.

"Now that is what I call luxury" She commented at the scene she just saw. Harry, however, had another opinion "Unfortunately, we won't put it to good use. Don't forget that we are on a mission"

"You worry too much …" She said with a pout before she held her waist "So, what's on our to-do list?"

"Nothing much, but I have to call the team first and tell them of our place …" He replied while turning on his transceiver then turned back to her and, to her surprise, shooed her.

"Go on, there's nothing to see or do here. Use this precious time to look for room of your own, go on …" The raven-haired man said these rather offending words causing his muggle friend to look at him crossly before she turned away with disdain. Sometimes he treated her like a child which is way more annoying than his overprotectiveness. She walked out of the living room into the hallway where she saw several rooms on the left and right of her, but even with that number of rooms it didn't take her more than ten minutes to pick a room. She then returned to Harry at the moment he finished his call.

"Did you choose a room?" He asked indifferently and Hermione's voice was dripping acid when she answered "What else would I do?"

"Good …" Harry said plainly then sat silently looking at her. They kept glancing at each other for a minute or so in a way that almost drove her mad. So, when she had enough of trading glances, she held her waist and asked her question.

"Well then …" She said "I chose my room … So, what's next?"

"Nothing …" He replied with provoking coolness while throwing himself on a sofa that was there "We will wait for the rest of the team to come. In the mean time try to relax …" he said the last part while stretching in his limbs lazily which Hermione found it to be quite out of shape; for she could not believe that this lazy person in front of is the same Harry she knew and the death eaters dreaded.

"Harry? What's with you?" She asked all of the sudden yet he didn't bother to change his stance or open his eyes when he retorted "What?"

"What's with all this laziness you show?" I mean you seem to be so lax even when you know that Flint is around …" Hermione stated with a hint of disappointment in her voice that didn't move anything in Harry "Shouldn't we make use of what time we have at hand to inspect the area around the hotel?"

"I would've done that naturally …" He retorted again but this time with open eyes "That is if I wasn't tired already …"

True, she could see now why he said it because he _was_ tired. His eyes appeared as if they never had rest for a decade even though it hasn't been long since their return from Japan.

As if this brief opening has tired him, Harry closed his eyes once more while stating "I haven't had a decent sleep since our return. So, all what I ask for is an hour or so of good sleep for the sake of a clear mind"

"I-I am sorry; I didn't know …" Hermione stammered after this revelation "I'll leave you to your rest. But I still don't know what to do?"

"Great Hmmm …" An out-of-place reply came out of Harry and she looked at him for an explanation. However, when she looked at him she saw that he has already drifted away. A smile appeared on her mouth when she saw his innocent face; who would imagine that the bearer of such face is the high commander of the magical army in two countries and the head of the magic intelligence, plus the fact the he is a terrifying swordsman and a knight … Her very own knight.

The last part caused a blush to creep up her cheeks when she realized that she owned Harry to some degree even if it was pertaining to a legend, only she desired this ownership to extend beyond this legend to something more. She shook these utopian thoughts off her head and think of a way to occupy herself until the team arrives. With the fact that she didn't have any breakfast, the first thing she should do is to eat; and where is a place better than the hotel restaurant.

She went down via the elevator and through the lobby before she found herself standing at the entrance of the grand restaurant. She saw the host coming towards her.

"Mrs. Smith …" The host said and greeted her with a bow "We've heard of your arrival and we're so happy to see you as our guest … Please, have a seat" he escorted her to a nearby table that overlooked the vast blue ocean and moved a chair for her to sit on.

"I hope the natural scene is of your liking …" The host inquired formally yet her serene smile convoyed her words before she even spoke them "It's beautiful …"

The host flashed a satisfied smile and handed her the menu then stood up firmly beside her "may I accommodate you with one of our best wine vintage of 1982 …"

"No thanks …" She said without removing her eyes from the menu "I'd like to keep my head clear, ya' know; especially in the morning …"

"Ah, I see …" The host muttered back and took her order before walking out of her table. She seized the moment to enjoy the tranquil scenery. It was so wonderful, so marvelous, so … Romantic. The only thing that was missing in this scenery was Harry.

And with the last thought that came to her a blush crept to her cheeks. It was so obvious that she fancied him. Heck, only a mad girl would not be mad about him. And with his strictness and the state of being busy to ignore all the girls' moves on him, he would be the best target to the adventurous girls. However, it was then when it hit her; everyone should have at least a girl in their life, even Harry should have one … One he considers a s sweetheart.

And with that thought, her mind began to exaggerate as usual. She even didn't notice the delicious food that had been brought up. Harry must've had a girlfriend, someone she would not be able to match. Even when her body was that of a woman, her looks are nothing more than ordinary compared to other women.

Now her mood turned sour thanks to her brilliant brain. Even the delicious seafood in front of her turned to pickled straps of boot in her eyes. She began to eat albeit half-heartedly. Only after a few minutes, the host approached her and leaned forward.

"Mrs. Smith …" The host sad gaining her attention "I'm sorry to interrupt you, but there are some people who claim to be your friends"

"Really? What do they look like?" She asked coolly with a bit of sourness showing on her face.

"A tall man with red hair accompanied with a woman whose, errr …" He hesitated for a second but she urged him to carry on "Yes?"

"Her hair is dyed in unnatural pink …" He muttered without looking at her and a smile appeared on her face "Yes, they are my friends"

She got off her seat and went straight to the lobby where she saw them waiting by the reception desk. She barely held her laugh when her eyes fell upon Tonks; it was fair for the host to feel offended by the bright pink hair because it was out of place in this high-class hotel.

"David, Patty! It's good to see you" Rushed to them with fake enthusiasm and hugged them both "What took you so long?"

"Our flight got delayed …" Tonks said taking the cue "Sorry to concern you"

"Not at all …" Hermione replied then looked at the receptionist "Please book a suite for David Willingham and Patricia Cromwell"

"Certainly …" The receptionist said after snapping out of the daze he was in. He did not believe his eyes or what people attended the hotel he was working in; the five-star hotel turned into a resort for commoner look-alikes and hippies. He shuffled through the logbook before looking up at them "Actually, Mr. Smith booked four more suites in addition to your own"

"Brilliant …" Ron replied "I'll take one and Patricia will take another one" and with this, all lodging issues were done. The trio went to the elevator lobby while engaged in chatter similar to that of old friends. However, when they went inside the elevator, all that friendly chatter died.

"Well done, Mrs. Smith …" Tonks stated with a cheeky grin "You completely fooled them. It even looked like a well-rehearsed play"

"So, you know …" Hermione muttered with uneasiness and Ron smiled while pointing at his invisible headphone "Harry spoke with us through the special channel and told us about the made-up names you took" he chuckled a bit before retorting "But to think you used such a disguise …"

"It was not my idea …" Hermione interjected with her annoyance appearing in her voice "There was a bloody woman who heard Harry saying his fake name and automatically assumed that I'm his wife"

"There now … Don't get all grumpy over us. It is just a disguise, even if it is indeed hinting to something" Tonks retorted with both of them laughing at the uneasy Hermione. Few minutes later, they were standing in front of Harry and Hermione's suite. Ron knocked the door and after a few seconds they heard the door open and Harry's tired face showed up.

"Oh, it's you …" He muttered in a low tone that matched his overall exhaustion and let them in. as soon as they entered, Tonks' eyes widened when they fell upon the sword Harry was holding.

"You never part with this sword, do you?" She asked him while her hands touched her unintentionally as she reminisced on a past accident. The raven-haired man, on the other hand, look at her in query then eyed the blade in his grasp as if he was seeing it for the first time.

"You mean this …" He waved the sheathed katana casually "I can put it as simple as this; if Hermione was the one at the door she would've used her own key to enter, if it was you … You were suppose to give me a call through the radio before you waltz in" he said the last part while giving her a meaningful look "So, the result of this simple equation was me feeling it was an early attack"

"That genius mind of yours …" The pinkish rosy-haired auror smiled in admiration that Hermione didn't find quite amusing "You sure do live up to your name"

"We all do what we suppose to do, Nymph … Ouch!" A smack on the head was laid down by Tonks whose hair has turned bright red as usual when she gets angry "I warned you not to call me by that name …"

Ron & Hermione laughed their hearts at the hilarious scene they were watching before the latter interjected "Oh, there is something I forgot to mention. It is regarding to Tonks' hair"

"What's with my hair?" Tonks inquired while stroking her hair which has now returned to normal; meaning bright pink.

"Well, nothing is wrong with your hair style really, except that its color is a bit … Pinkish" Hermione stated awkwardly "You didn't notice the face of the receptionist when he saw you down their and I agree with him completely; your hair color is somewhat offending in the high-class environment we are in right now"

"But … Pink is my favorite" Tonks tried to argue, but the neutral look from Ron and the definitely siding-with-Hermione look from Harry made her groan "Alright then …" and in a second, her hair was turned into light brown.

"Good … With everyone is happy now, we can carry on with other matters" Harry stated coolly before throwing himself on the sofa again "Wake me up when the rest of the team arrives …" and he returned to sleep. However, he did not have a chance to be fast asleep for the team arrived early. So, the initial meeting started.

"Well then …" He said with a tired sigh "Gather around, everyone. I want to show you something" he unfolded a huge map of the Bermuda islands and pointing at one place.

"We are now right here in Hamilton City right in the middle of the main island …" He said pulling out a marker pen "Our main objective is to locate the homing beacon that Ferguson turned on per our plan, which will be your responsibility, Dick" He pointed the marker at the Intel specialist "And I may safely assume that it will take time to do"

"Certainly, si- err … Yes, certainly" Dick corrected at the last moment and Harry nodded at him then turned to the rest "I've been revising a plan to search the islands properly" he used the marker to divide the map into three parts.

"This will be our searching territories. Ron and Tonks will take the southern part, Vlad and Sofia will take the northern one, while Hermione and I will search the middlemost parishes" he placed several dots on each territory and pointed at them.

"These are the areas where it will be most appropriate to have a hideout into. Place it on your own GPS, search it thoroughly yet do not get careless" he said that last part in a serious tone followed by a look to each one of the team "All are set … Then go"

The search parties left one after another. However, Harry turned to Dick before he leaves "And yes, Dick I almost forgot" he addressed the young auror who turned to him with full attention. The raven-haired auror smiled calmly and said "There is something I want you to do before you begin your search for the beacon …"

----------------------------------------------------

"Anyone, did you find anything at all?" Harry called through the invisible headphone with loud impatience trying to overcome the sound of the wave shattering over the rocky beach of the Great Sound.

_"Nothing at all Harry, how about you?"_ Ron's voice answered and questioned at the same time. And Harry answered voicing all his frustration "Not a bloody thing …"

Hermione looked over the raging sea before a cold breeze forced her to tighten her clothes over her body. She then looked at Harry begging "If we aren't going to search here, then please let's go elsewhere warmer"

"Sorry …" He said in apology yet his face was still bearing the same frustration. When they found a good spot away from the wind they sat down beside each other. Harry kept silent although from his eyes Hermione knew he was thinking of something most likely the next step to take in this universal chess game with Flint. So, she respected his silence even though it was for a short time before she suddenly spoke up.

"So …" She said stretching her limbs "All this time we were chasing after Flint, I never asked once for the main reason. I mean what is this portal he wants to obtain; even me reading the minds of those death eaters I couldn't see a glimpse of that so-called portal"

Harry poked the ground with a dead branch he found beside him for a whole minute before he spoke up "Remember the time when Flint was allied with that drug lord Muerte; it was then when Flint has opened an artificial portal using the enhanced powers of the EMPA" he threw the branch away and kept silent for another minute before continuing "It was then when I felt a cold chill crawling up my spine at what I saw"

Hermione eyed him in wonder; she could not believe that Harry can feel fear like all of them mere humans. It was something that does not fit his valiant personality.

"A cold chill, you say …" Stated the bushy-haired woman with a smile "If there is something that would cause you a cold chill, then it would definitely be the end of the world …"

She only said it as a joke, but the serious look on Harry's face told her it was not "You have no idea how close you are to the truth …" with that vague statement Hermione was left with a thousand question that she had no chance to ask for a voice rang into their headphones.

"Harry si- err, I found the beacon …" Dick's voice with his usual error spoke clearly causing Harry to get up quickly "Put it on our GPS plus a picture of the area"

Dick complied with the order and Harry got what he wanted. Using the picture as a guide, they apparated to the beacon zone where they found the beacon itself with the aid of their GPS.

"Alright, all what we have to do now is to search the dirt for more clues …" scar-headed man said while tossing the beacon in the air and eyed the surroundings for anything out of place that might look like a good place for a clue. Hermione, on the other hand, had other thoughts about this search method.

"Harry …" She called for him but his 'Hmm' indicated for her that he was only half-mind with her "I think I have an idea"

His attention was now one hundred percent directed to her "Speak up …"

"I can read the memory of the beacon" She said with sheer enthusiasm. On the contrary of that, Harry's face showed utter disappointment.

"Sorry Hermione, but I don't think it will … Work this time" He said with hesitation that was so unusual of him, or at least it was for Hermione who said back "Why! I've done it before with that strange wand! A mere beacon will not cause me to break a sweat, anyway …"

The look of indecision remained on Harry's expressions for a minute before he finally handed her the beacon "Okay, at least you can try …"

Her enthusiasm took over her once again as he handed her the beacon. She then struggled to relax her body and mind in order for her to be able to read the memory properly, so after a little bit of time and with the aid of Occlumency she was ready and the only thing left is to reap the reward.

…… Nothing ……

That was the result of the mind reading; unusual result indeed compared to her instant success with the wand, so looked blankly at the beacon before trying one more time.

…… Nothing again ……

Her hands began to shake again but this time it was from frustration and defeat; she could not believe that she failed. The only thing she thought she was adept in and she failed miserably. Harry noticed this sudden change and held her shoulders instantly.

"Hermione, that's enough" He said to her calmly "I told you it wouldn't work …" she looked at him in utter defeat not quite knowing if it was a look of disappointment or sympathy he was giving her right now, but sure it was not a look that she preferred.

"I-I don't understand, I-I …" With teary eyes she tried to talk. However, he cut her mid-sentence with a gentle yet firm explanation.

"The magical residue inside the wand was the reason you were able to read that memory" He said with his hands still on her shoulders "But in this case, you were trying to extract a memory from an object devoid from any magic. Only seers with magical abilities can do it" He took her hands off her and looked her straight in the eye "In other words, wizard seers …"

He didn't know how much it stung her to hear such words; it was as if he said to her 'You are of no use to me'. This willed even more tears to fall from her eyes.

Harry stepped away from his teary friend and activated his headset "Boys ..."

_"Yes, what is it"_ Several voices answered him plus an additional _'There are also girls on this bloody team, you know'_ from Tonks.

"We found the beacon, but a thorough search on site should be performed …" He retorted through the mic "Vlad, I need you to present in the beacon area and protect Dick while he perform his special sweep …"

_"On it …"_ Vlad replied and Harry concluded the conversation before looking back at Hermione who was still having some tears glistening in her eyes. He looked at her in sympathy and said "Okay, let's be off …"

------------------------------------------------

_"Only seers with magical abilities can do it …"_

The words echoed in Hermione's head and she felt her heart gripe at them; even with all her insistence into joining this group was to prove that she can help, but that last stunt she pulled caused her much disgraces. Also, out of all people it was Harry who witnessed her failure; the same Harry she tried to impress; the same person she yearns for his acceptance.

By the end of her depressing thoughts she felt her tears ran on her face once again and her pillow was now soaked. The smell of the cool night filled her chest and the sounds of the wind was so gentle; she should be out there enjoying this rare moment, yet she's here mourning her failure … Alone.

Her depressed mood had definitely overtaken her completely because she did not notice that the sound of the wind was so clear even with the windows were shut tight. When she dozed off she felt her depression evaporate little by little and her sobbing slow down until something unexpected happened.

The hazy picture of the ceiling became black all of the sudden and the air has been cut off from her. This sudden change caused her eyes to snap open and when they did so all what she could see was utter darkness. Then she realized that something was covering her body; a black cloak was engulfing her whole body from head to feet trying to smother her. She tried to call fro help but that foul entity covered her mouth and nose preventing her from drawing a single breath let alone a cry. So now in this helpless state, all what she could do is to pray that her passing would be painless, but her time is yet to come …

"_Expecto Patronum_"

A dazzling light blasted through the door causing that dark creature to emit an unhuman shrill and release Hermione from its grip. That gave her the freedom to difficultly crawl away from that creature until she felt herself being helped to get on her feet. When she looked at her at her savior he was none other than her usual one … Harry himself.

"Hermione, are you alright?" He asked her without removing his eyes from the shrieking abomination

"I-I'm okay …" She said with a stutter "I-It tried to kill me. This … Thing tried to kill me"

"It's a Lethifold, killing is what it can do the best" He said with his eyes away from her this time too, so she followed his gaze until she saw what was occupying him. That light came from a source indeed and that source was an illuminating shape that resembled an animal; a stag to be precise. That stag was trying to corner the Lethifold by blocking the exits with its glow. However, that shroud-like being found an opening and fled the room in an instant.

"Blast it …" Harry muttered and with a wand flick that shiny animal dissipated. That was the cue for Hermione to drop on her knees.

"Hermione, stay with me …" the concerned Harry said while catching her before she fell to the ground. He then aided her to the bed and summoned a glass of water from a nearby table. Now after her nerves calmed down, Hermione began to sob for the second time this evening.

"Ssh, ssh, there is no need to cry; it is all over now …" Her raven haired friend said to her as he hugged her gently and she let her tears run down his firm shoulder. They stayed like that for a minute until Harry received a message through his headset.

_"Harry sir, I located seven unknown personnel within our perimeter … They are leaving now!"_ Dick's message caused Harry's body to stiffen. So, he let Hermione off him gently and replied "I will hunt them down"

"No please, don't leave me alone …" Hermione's weak plea was to much for him to bear, but this was a matter of duty … and vengeance.

"You will be alright here, that Lethifold has been chased off but I have to catch the culprits who brought it in …" He said giving her shoulders a reassuring squeezed before leaving the whole suite. With his sword secured in his belt and his wand at the ready, he felt his anger building up within him.

"Tell me where they went to …" He said through the mic slowly and dick answered him _"They went for the emergency stairs"_

Harry ran toward the mentioned area with his boiling blood pushing his feet beyond the human limits. Always the innocent; they always target the innocent, and this was the second time Hermione suffers on his behalf.

When he reached the exit door to the stairs he kicked it open and saw that the culprits were already halfway down; and they were death eaters. Harry began to run again but not down the stairs as one should do, but towards the handrail. He then did the most unexpected thing a sane man can do … He Jumped into the stairwell.

He felt the air hitting his face as he dived down from the seventh floor, but that did not scare him. Instead he continued his diving until he gained the desired momentum then transformed into his falcon animagus form.

The death eaters heard the falcon screech which was unusual to hear in this area, so one of them approached the railing only to be welcomed by a sudden kick that rendered him unconscious.

"What the bloody …" One of the death eaters cursed loudly but the sight of Harry in front of them left him tongue tied "Hello boys …"

They pulled out their wands in an intention to fire whatever they can think of just to give them a chance to flee; they could not forget what happened to their comrades who dared to oppose him. However in the end, Harry's knife-work was much faster than them and the result was them chopped in pieces save the first one who was already knocked out cold. Harry looked at his doing coldly before he activated his headphone.

"Ron …" He called for his best friend who answered directly _"Yes mate …"_

"I want you and whoever is available to clean up the mess in the emergency stairs. I have other business to do …" With that he concluded the call then picked up the unconscious death eater and returned to Hermione's bedroom where he saw her waiting for him anxiously.

"Harry! Thank God you're alright?" she said in relief then looked at the tied up death eater inquisitively "Is that the culprit?"

"One of them, yes" He replied calmly "The others are in no shape to be questioned, so we should be satisfied with this dolt" He did not bother to ennervate the death eater, instead he summoned the water jug from the table and poured al its contents on the head of their prisoner. And the man woke up instantly gasping for air.

"Rise and shine sleepy dolt …" Harry greeted him in his usual sneer. The death eater looked around trying to regain his balance until his eyes fell on Harry.

"Y-You …" He said in a mix of fear and loathing and Harry gave him a sarcastic smile "Yes, you are our prisoner for now so you should thank Merlin for being the lucky seven. All your friend are being washed off the stairs after staining that fabulous marble with their blood and bits"

Hermione felt a shudder after hearing what Harry has said and the death eater was not in a better shape "I-I tried t-to dissapperate …" He stuttered "We all tried, but there was some force that kept pulling us downwards"

"That is because you were fools enough to fell into your old trap …" Harry retorted with a mischief smile "You remember that trap you placed for me in the police station months ago; you used a muggle device you tempered with, what was it called … EMPA, I think"

The death eater looked at Harry with eyes widened in shock "Y-You bloody …" but he could not complete his sentence so Harry carried on.

"The brains of the group studied the blue prints of that EMPA machine which you did not bother to steal. And he came up with his own perfect device" Harry said showing the death eater what was in his pocket "He called it the Mini-EMPA …"

The death eater felt the fury rush into his blood as he struggled to get free; he then stopped his attempts when it seemed futile and looked at Harry in defiance "You can kill me now because I will never speak … Ever"

The raven haired man looked at him in mocking amazement "You really are brave to say such words, but who said I will wait for you to speak …" he then looked at his muggle friend meaningfully "A quick peak into your mind will do the job …"

Hermione could not belief what he insinuated by that statement, especially after her failure last time "Harry, are you sure? I've already failed …"

"Once …" He interrupted her with a smile "All what you have to do is to try again"

With these words, she felt confidence fill her heart. So she got up from her seat and stood in front of the death eater with a smile "Don't struggle or it will be more painful for you?"

The death eater tried to mock her but her touch caused him to freeze up in pain. He felt as if his soul was squeezed out of him when all his life flashed in front of his eyes. Finally when Hermione let go of him he dropped to the ground gasping.

"So …" Harry, who was sitting on a nearby chair calmly, asked and she collected her breath before she told him what she saw.

"I got it …" She stated in a low tone "He heard from another bloke that Zabini went to the market square in St. George to persuade the contact Flint has left behind to tell him of his location …"

"And that's all …" Harry muttered and Hermione nodded. He then got up and pointed his wand at the exhausted death eater "Sorry mate, but we don't need you anymore … _Stupefy_" The death eater was knocked out cold again and Harry ignored him and activated his headset.

"Dick …" He called for the Intel specialist this time and his miniature hologram appeared before him _"Yes …"_

"I want you to go to the market square in St. George and search for any clues there using your special gadgets" He gave the order to his subordinate then remembered something "Ah yes, pair up with Vlad for additional protection …"

"Okeydokey …" Dick said before the hologram dissipated, then Harry sat beside Hermione and stretched his limbs lazily.

"They say 'No sleep for the Wicked' and I never believed in it until now" He said in an attempt to begin a conversation. Hermione, however, had other ideas of conversation.

"Harry …" She said to him and he replied with his usual 'Hmm' so she continued "Why did you ask me to do the mind reading?"

"Because I know that you can do it …" He answered her with a surprised look up his face "Why do you ask such a silly question?"

"You saw me fail with that beacon. I mean, haven't it ever occurred to you that I'm useless?" She felt her body tense when she reached that bit and Harry smiled now that he know what was bothering her.

"Hermione look …" He said with his hands on her slender shoulders "I've said it before and I will say it again. I will not think lowly of you, ever. You are my friend after all"

He never knew how much his answer relieved her, yet at the same time made her feel the disappointment when she learned that she was still in the friendship zone. All in all, the results was in the form of tears running down her face again, but this time they where tears of happiness.

"Now, now; no need to cry …" Harry said with a chuckle and brushed the tears with his fingers then held her chin up to look deeply into her hazelnut eyes. They were teary, they were colored with redness, but they were so beautiful.

A ring from his headset made him snap out of the hypnotic feeling of her eyes. he pressed the receive button and stated "Speak …"

_"We found it sir …"_ The enthusiastic voice of Dick came out of the headphone and Harry's eyes widened with amazement "That fast!"

_"We did not even have to look around, it was in a very clear place … The square's fountain"_ Dick replied with the same cheeriness causing Harry to smile "So, is it a direct hint this time or the same riddle one?"

_"More than clear …"_ The Intel specialist retorted _"It is the name of the new location"_

"Brilliant, Where is it?" Harry exclaimed and waited for the answer anxiously; Dick read what was written on the fountain and answered _"Puerto Rico …"_

* * *

**_A/N:_** Soooooooooooo, sorry for the late update, but I was so hooked up lately. Ya know, business and stuff ;). Anyway, I promised you that the main H/Hr will be hear but it was not. I will keep my promise next time definitely.

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease


	8. Moonlight Party

_**Disclaimer:**_ Don't own, don't care … Except for a few characters and the plot itself.

_**A/N:**_ Okay, okay. I know I am VERY late, but this special chapter is worth waiting for. This is the moment of truth every H/Hr'er is waiting for, or should I say … The moment of love.

_**PS:**_ For all those Naruto fans I say I'm sorry for not updating the story 'Not So Typical Life', but this is because I have two stories, one mind and one exhausting job to boot. I will continue it as soon as I finish this part, pray that I don't forget. "

**Moonlight Party**

From a beach to another they have traveled, but this time it was a final detour and the last stop before their ultimate goal and the grand fruit they would soon reap; that_ he_ would soon reap. Those were the thoughts that ran though Flint's mind as he eyed the ebbing fog with his aide, Elias Swift, standing beside him. And then a smile played on his marred mouth; if only they knew what he knew …

"This is it …" He muttered with his eyes still on the horizon "It is now or never …" he took a deep breath containing some of the refreshing breeze into his lungs before he resumed "This is as light as the fog can be; any more slacking and we would risk another delay"

"Yes, my lord. I will inform the men to be ready …" Swift bowed to his master and was about to go but was halted by Flint "And while you're at it, summon Zabini for me"

"Aye, my lord …" The elite death eater replied with a hint of bitterness because of the subject of this conversation. Flint notices that sudden change but ignored it anyway; Swift then bowed again and went off.

On his way to the dorms, the sword master couldn't but to feel the irony; he was sent to fetch his most hated rival for his master, although he had to admit that the recent closeness between Zabini and Flint was not in his favor.

He shoved those thoughts of misfortune aside and it was replaced by hesitation when he reached the dorms entrance; he really wanted to obey his master but the idea of meeting Zabini face to face and bearing his snide remarks was not so appealing. However, salvation came in a form of a death eater who had just left the dorms.

"Oi, you there …" The death eater halted at the call and looked at the approaching Swift in inquiry "Yes?"

"The dark lord has summoned Zabini, I want you to go and inform him of that …" The elite death eater stated causing the other to back of in shock before he said "I won't take another step near that madman in a million years; you do it hybr-" he cut his speech mid-sentence when he felt Swift's wand under his chin.

"Listen, you menial …" The Swift hissed dangerously pressing the wand even more "I warn you not to cross me because frankly I'm pretty crossed at the moment" he then added while narrowing his eyes "Unless you want to be nailed on a cross …"

The death eater gulped soundly as he eyed the dangerous wand with its glowing tip; a minute with a madman would definitely feel like heaven compared to one with this patricidal maniac, so he muttered something and went back again cursing the day he thought of giving an oath of fealty to Flint. He reached the assassin's dormitory after few turns. However, just before he enters the room he heard some commotion inside and by careful listening he was able to recognize Zabini's voice, yet there was another voice he heard … An unknown one.

"Zabini, please; I beg you. Stay out of this, let me be …" The anonymous said almost in a tearful plea that was responded by a harsh laugh from Zabini.

"Let you be, you say …" The elite assassin said in mockery "After all what you did you want me to let you be. Why don't I hand you to Flint? He'd definitely let you 'be' something … Dead"

"No please!!" The other person exclaimed in fear "I'm just following orders. Just let me finish my mission then I would be happy to aid you in whatever you need to accomplish"

"So, first you capture me, then you let me set the rules … How ironic" Zabini said with a dark chuckle before his voice turned stern again "Enough of this fiddle-faddle, let us finish your pointless espionage thing before I start my own path for glory … And the death eaters' throne"

Utterly accusing and completely flabbergasting, the words of Zabini ware heard by the death eater at the door. He could not believe what he was hearing; espionage, treason and a plan to overthrow Flint to boot; and from whom? An inner circle no less.

The death eater stepped away from the door quietly planning to convoy the words of deception directly to Flint. However, in the midst of his escape he stepped on a worn-out plank that squeaked through the hallway.

"Who's there?!" Now alerted to the presence outside, Zabini called out at the tip of his voice. The death eater took the cue and started to run as Hell before he felt himself pulled back by an invisible force and slam down to the ground with a loud thud. A groan of pain emitted from his lips and he got up slowly only to be welcomed by the sight of Zabini himself.

"Look what we got here …" Zabini stated mockingly pointing his wand at the death eater "A rat …"

Seeing the wand in the assassin's hand, a look of horror appeared on the death eater's face. And as the wand's tip began to glow, he stumbled backwards until his back hit the wall behind him and he knew that he no longer had the luxury of retreating.

"M-mercy …" The cornered death eater pleaded for his life only to get more mockery from Zabini.

"And a timid one to boot …" The assassin said with a cool stature inconsistent to the situation at hand "But I'm afraid I can't grant you your wish; you see, you only asked for it because you heard something there" a mocking smile appeared on his face the magical glow intensified "And this thing would do me no good if it reached Flint, don't you think?"

The death eater gasped at the dreadful conclusion and closed his eyes waiting for the finishing curse. However, instead of a curse he heard groans coming from Zabini and when he opened his eyes he saw the last thing he ever thought of; Zabini stepping away with his wand's glow fading out was the first thing he noticed, but the most important thing was that his body was shaking and his face twisted in a strange way … As if he was in some kind of quarrel.

"I told you to stay the bloody out of this …" The assassin said hoarsely and tried to point his wand back at the death eater but failed miserably. The death eater could've sworn that he saw a glimpse of terror appear on his face before it regressed back to its former expressions "Killing is not your business anyway …"

At that moment, those panicked expressions that appeared before became more evident and all signs of struggle were cleared which caused more puzzlement to the already-confused death eater. And when Zabini finally spoke, the death eater was left utterly shocked.

"When your killing impedes my agenda, then it is definitely my bloody business …" The bewilderment of the death eater was completely justified, for the voice he'd just heard was no where near Zabini's; it was the voice he was bickering with minutes ago.

"Just obliviate him and let him be; no harm was done anyway …" The new Zabini said in nervosity before the former one resurfaced "You are such a weakling; if maintaining our identity's secret doesn't concern you, it is sure as Hell concerns me. So stay out of this" a grin appeared on his face as he continued "Plus, you are not the only one with a secret agenda …"

The death eater witnessed this two-sided-one-person argument with a lot of confusion stirring in his mind; who would've thought that Zabini had a second personality underneath his own, one that contradicts with his sadistic demeanor in its unusual timidity.

"O no you don't. We did not agree on-" The second persona condemned the last statement but the strongest one gave the final order "Go to sleeeep …"

Now, after this heated self inflected argument, everything suddenly came to a halt as Zabini stood still with his eyes shut, even the death eater held his breath in waiting for the conclusion to come forth. His mind told him to leave the whole thing and flee for his life, but something inside him told him to wait and see. However, when Zabini finally opened his eyes he regretted his decision.

"No!! Please I'm-" The death eater backed off while begging for his life, but his plea was in vain when all what he got in return was glowing wand and one word "Dead …"

The curse was shot and the death eater's eyes widened as he heard and felt the splattering on his back. Little by little, numbness started to spread all over his body resulting in his sliding down to the floor, and just before he gave in to his fatal wound the last thing he saw was the wall that he was leaning on painted with a new color; the color of blood … His very own blood.

"You should've known better than to eavesdrop on me … Look what it cost you" Zabini spoke mockingly while retracting his wand arm. However, he saw his wand flying off his grasp and heard the reply from the most unlikely person.

"The same cost that you will pay …" Said Swift who was standing by the corridor entrance with two wands in his hands; Zabini's and his "I only came to see why the fool was late and I see this … Quite eerie, don't you think?"

The assassin answered with a low angry mutter that was not enough in Swift's opinion; therefore his question was repeated more seriously "Why have you killed him?"

"Because he was bloody nosy!!" Zabini snapped in fury ignoring the fact that there are two wands aimed at him.

"I know that he can, or should I say, used to be a pain in the arse sometimes …" The Irish wizard stated and pointed a wand at the corpse in the puddle "But you didn't have to be s radical in solving this problem …"

"My problem, my choice …" The assassin burst out once more "And what brought you here, anyway?"

"Flint ordered me to summon you and I passed the order down onto this unlucky bloke …" Swift answered the question rather calmly with both wands aimed back at Zabini "However, this is quite inept as an outcome for such a simple order which made me wonder … What would vex you to the point where you kill an unimportant person?"

Zabini's body tensed as the conversation reached this point; he knew that Swift was not stupid. Swift, on the other hand, carried on with his revelation "I have but a simple conjecture which is that he acquired something made him important or maybe … A threat to you" he said "This very thing he acquired might be of benefit to you …" a smile appeared on his face as he continues "Might as will do harm to me, Flint, or the brotherhood"

Intelligent … That what Swift was; it was a trait that Zabini had respected in him. It was also the reason he was sired into the inner circle. But even with such respect he would not allow him to meddle into his schemes.

"Such an interesting theory you have there …" The assassin stated in confidence "However, I have one little thing to say to you …"

The way Zabini said his last statement made Swift feel a bit uneasy in a way that he made sure both wands were pointing precisely his peer's chest before replying "Then say it"

"You think too much!!" His fears came true when he saw a lethal curse make its way towards him. He dodged it and looked at the assassin death eater pondering on how the Hell he performed such complex spell without a wand. However, one glance at Zabini's hand solved this enigma; he was not wandless at all for a wand was in his hand, and what's more astonishing is that the wand's rear was tied with a thin rope that came all the way from under his sleeve.

"So, you have a spare wand … How cunning" Swift praised Zabini albeit somewhat sarcastically but the assassin didn't bother to reply; he was busy fending off the curses aimed at him and throwing ones of his own. Apparently, fighting two-wanded wizard was not that easy; especially one as skilled as Swift.

It was never unusual for him as an assassin to have more than one wand hidden somewhere in his body; in fact it helped him a lot in tight situations. However, the unusual thing is that a wizard has more than one wand, but thanks to his victims he never bothered to ask Olivander for extra wands; theirs served as both trophies and concealed weaponry.

Finally and with some luck, he was able to catch one of Swift's wands on fire turning it ablaze and causing Swift to lose focus for a second which was more than enough for the assassin to aim for the second wand; and thanks to his elite marksman skills he was able to do it in one shot snapping it in half with a severing charm that also took severed away any chance for Swift to defend himself.

"Now … You're mine, mudblood …" Zabini exclaimed in delight as he aimed his wand at the wandless Swift. However, not only he had tricks under his sleeve.

"What the … Argh!!" The assassin groaned when he felt a twinge searing through his wand arm and kneeled in pain clutching his wounded wrist and he noticed that the wand was not tied anymore. It was then when he saw a thin sword with its sharp end aimed at his chest.

"To be able to perform such knife-work in a few seconds …" Zabini muttered from his kneeling stance in a mix of fury and bewilderment "Remarkable …"

"My name, my fame …" Swift retorted calmly "But what's more remarkable is that you just proved that my theory is correct. So …" He pointed the wand that he just acquired at Zabini and looked at him dangerously "What's in your mind …"

"None of your business …" The assassin replied instantly without fear and the young death eater knew that he could intimidate him no further.

"Well then …" He sheathed his sword while keeping the wand aimed his kneeling peer "Perhaps master Flint will be able to persuade you to spill the beans … Get up"

Zabini grimaced and did as he was told then started to walk toward the exit with Swift aiming at his behind. Unfortunately for the latter, he did not see the smile on the assassins face when he secretly accomplished a job not meant to him, and without Swift's notice to boot.

_'Vengeance shall be gained …'_ He thought to himself _'By me … Or by mine enemy'_

--

"You're a demon …"The words came out of Hermione's mouth as she sat her shaky feet on the ground after a night-long flight.

"And why's that?" Harry, who was holding her hand as he dismounted the broom, inquired coolly. She showed an annoyed face before answering his teasing query "Anyone who enjoys the suffering of the others is Satan's little brother …"

A chuckle emitted from the raven-haired man that Hermione felt rather irritating before the former retorted "Last time I checked, I was the one who called him 'Ickle Sattikins'" She looked at him with eyes wide in disbelief before she gave a long trouble sigh and muttered "Honestly …"

Few minutes later, the rest of the team was coming into sight. Tonks was the first to touch down and she did it a grumble.

"For Merlin's sake, Harry; if you want us to act as a team then you should keep in mind that we are not as talented flyers as you" The pinkhead voiced her objection that was advocated by Hermione.

"You are absolutely right; he should stick to the group and never venture on some useless and scary adventure …" The bushy haired girl said in a meaningful tone that did not pass unnoticed for Harry.

"Alright, I think we should stop at that … Everyone, gather around" Not wanting to waste more in another 'girlie' argument, Harry ordered the group who complied instantly "Okay, now that we reached our next and, hopefully, final destination, I want to emphasize several points … Dick, the map if you please"

The Intel specialist turned on the GPS devices and did several clicks before handing them around, then Harry resumed his briefing "As you have noticed, this island is big; much bigger than the islands of Bermuda combined. So, it is natural to assume that our search will taking a lot of time unless we know where to look for our goal …" a smirk appeared on his face when he added "Hopefully, we have a very ironic advantage …"

The group looked at him in confusion not knowing what he meant by the last statement save Ron and Tonks who gave him a knowing smile. Vlad was the first to demand further explanation.

"Pardon me sir, but what did you mean by … Ironic advantage?" the Russian auror asked on the behalf of his confused comrades and Harry looked at him bearing the same smile "Ron, Tonks and I know this island like the back of our hands …" he then looked at them intently and threw the bomb "It was the location of our first assignment together as the Death Tracker Elite Unit number one …"

Hermione surely was surprises, but her astonishment was nothing compared to that of the IAST trio. The look of their faces took very clearly that they were awed by the revelation; they did not believe that they were setting foot on the very land that bore the Elite Three long before they became legends, and the more they think of it the more their hearts beat with excitement.

Harry, on the other hand, reacted to their awe with just a simple smile that showed his genuine modesty before that smile was hidden behind a stern face as he spoke again "Our mission was to pinpoint the exact location of the death eaters' hideouts in Voldemort's reign which, honestly, I never thought I would be of any use until we found the clue that led us here …"

He held up his GPS and pulled out the stylus "Each one of us was assigned a certain area to look for the hideouts. Mine was the middle-most zone with the hideouts locations of here, here and here …" he clicked on the screen using the stylus then glanced at his friends who took the cue.

"My objectives were in these locations …" Ron said while doing the same as Harry on his own device and Tonks followed "Mine were here …"

With the locations revealed, Harry felt the satisfaction rise within him. He gave the team one last pondering look before he spoke again "I think a change in formation is in order …"

He pointed at Sofia with the stylus "Sofia, you will go with Ron …" both aurors nodded and began to check their equipment

"Vlad, this time you will team up with Tonks …" Vlad paled at the setup and looked at the pink-haired auror who gave him a toothy grin "We are together in this Ruskie boy …"

The group laughed at the comment save Vlad himself who let out an irritable sigh. Hermione then felt a hand on her shoulder and heard Harry saying "Me and Hermione will form the third team …"

Hermione was surprised by the choice; considering the high risk of this mission and the fact that she almost failed to do any good left her with the idea immediate exclusion, but Dick was the one out of formation.

Dick indeed was gobsmacked by the last choice made; at first he thought that he would be automatically placed with his fiancé and when she was placed with Ron, it left him with either Tonks or Vlad as a teammate, but their placement together left him with astonishment and Harry himself. He felt very excited by the choice even thought he knew that Harry preferred to work with Hermione on since the beginning of this mission. Besides, he firmly believed that he would be suited better to do this job than Hermione, not that he think any low of her or anything but the fact that he is an auror and she's not gave him that belief. However, the last choice made by Harry left him with shock as well as disappointment. Harry did not leave him in his sorrow and gave him an explanation.

"Do not give me the guppy fish expression, the choices I made were not haphazardly …" Said the raven-haired auror while smiling calmly "Tell me … How many beacons does Ferguson have on him?"

The Intel specialist looked at him in confusion at first, then he smiled widely who it hit him "Two, sir. He already used the first one but I told him not to lose the second no matter what …"

"Then you know what to do …" Said Harry "Look for a safe haven and start searching …"

"Yes, sir …" Dick saluted him in enthusiasm before disapparating. Harry then turned to the remaining teams who looked at him anxiously.

"Everyone listen …" He said gaining their undivided attention "The teams I formed will search their respective locations in a two-man cell any finding shall be reported to me immediately and no attack is commenced before the whole group gathers. If nothing was found, the team returns to this area and wait for further instructions …"

Everyone nodded in compliance and he looked at them silently for a second before waving his hand "Now go …"

The team dispparated leaving him and Hermione behind; she waited for him to make the move but instead he handed her the GPS.

"You will be the navigator …" He said with his usual smile "I'll let you choose our destination, too"

From one surprising move to another and she just can't help but to feel touched by his generosity and complete confidence in her. She barely suppressed the urge to hug him until he suffocates and, with a shaky hand, he pointed at the first hideout.

"This one …" Harry looked at where she was pointing at and offered his hand to her with a nod "Okay, then … Shall we?" She clasped her hand onto his and waited.

"Brace yourself …" He said casually before they dissapparated leaving the area without a trace …

--

"That's an unlikely finding …" Hermione said not bothering to hide her disappointment "Nothing, not even a lost wand or a worn-out cloak …" she emitted a long irritated sigh and retorted "Our score in this search is just one big nil …"

Harry's answer to her complaining was a mere shrug "Maybe, but look at the full half of the glass …" a smile appeared on his handsome face as he continued "Now we know that they did not use these hideouts …"

"An optimist, as usual …" She said while kicking the exit door open and he laughed at her grumble. Once they were out in the open, he stretched his limbs began to explain what he hid within him until that moment.

"I never held high hopes for that search …" He said eyeing the sleepy dawn "The probability of Flint was less than twenty percent; I only wanted to make sure that my assumptions were true before we do anything else …"

Even that reasonable explanation failed to remove the pout off Hermione's face and she stood there holding her hips "So, now that you made sure … What's next?"

He gave it a thought for a second then turned on his mic "Oi, everyone … Done with the task yet?" he got 'Not yet' and 'Halfway' from them which made him smile confidently as he turned off the device.

"Alright … We still have plenty of time, so why don't we make good use of it?" He said it while rubbing his hands together and Hermione looked at him in confusion "I thought the order was to return to the rendezvous point after the search"

"And whose order was that?" Cocking one eyebrow, he asked her a question that he already knew its answer. She hesitated for a second before speaking "Errm … Yours of course, but-"

"No buts; you said it; my order, and I have the right to bend or break my own rules …" He interrupted her in resolved then he showed a naughty smile as he retorted "Don't worry though, I will punish myself severely afterwards for insubordination …"

She giggled at his humorous comment which somewhat relieved her concerned mind; he really knew how to wash away all her doubts like no other. And after her laughing was reduced to a calm smile she looked at him in waiting.

"So …" Said the young woman "What is our next destination?" he gave her a non-focused look that usually bears when he is in deep though, then he shifted his gaze towards the horizon.

"We are 'Hmmm' here, and there is 'Hmmm' …" He mumbled soundly while pointing left and right. Finally he settled on a path "This way …"

"Are you certain?" Seeing the 'random' way, he did the choosing with, Hermione couldn't help but to feel some doubt within her self, but Harry flashed her a reassuring smile as he started walking "I am, trust me …"

She looked at him in doubt for a second pondering on her recent reactions towards Harry's decisions; she always questioned his methods and never obeyed him without engaging into a fierce head-banging that usually ended with one of them getting pissed off, but this time it was not wise to waste such precious time on fruitless arguments.

Her final conclusion was a mere shrug then she began walking after him intending not to ask about or even cast a single doubt on anything he say or does. After ten minutes of walking and a lot of muscle cramps in Hermione's case they reached their new destination, she then learned that her uncertainty was not out of place.

"That clears everything …" She declared indifferently "When you said you wanted to make good use of our free time I thought you were serious, but what I see now tells me that you are back to the normal you. I have one question to you, though …" she turned to him and said in annoyance "What's with you and pubs, anyway?"

"Where else could you find all sorts of gentlemen?" He replied in unbearable coolness "Besides, they would be more than happy to help us …"

"If it was for the contents of your billfold then yes; they will be bloody happy" Her sharp retort came straightforward as a bee sting, she then gave him a side glance with her arms folded in front of her chest and stated "And by gentlemen you meant drunkards, bullies and cutthroats, I think …"

"Well, drunkards have a slip of tongue more often …" With another cheeky retort from Harry, the game of bouncing words carried on. However, Hermione was not in the mood for such games of words and dismissed his attempt with an angry huff which Harry took as a sign to enter the pub. When he opened the door and walked in she followed him bearing an angry face that changed completely when she was inside; for the scene she saw was utterly indescribable.

Unfortunately, the pub they chose was not a classy one or even near to decency. As soon as they entered, they saw a wild crowd laughing like barking dogs as they drained their mugs and bottles, in every corner and table they were speaking as if they were yelling at each other and sometime fights were about to break out but a roar from the bartender stops it immediately. The scene was unimaginable, in other words it was …

"An all-scum bar …" Bewildered, Hermione gave an accurate title for the picture before her and stepped closer to Harry asking for refuge from that scene "Your taste is getting lower and lower. This cesspit is even worse than the last pub we went to …"

"Well, you can't get what you want every time …" His answer was not to her liking so the retort she gave was sharper than intended "Harry … This is not helping in any way; you don't know how much I keep inside me that I'm afraid it will burst out …"

"It's not healthy to keep the emotions on the inside, ya' know …" He started to get on her nerves with his smart mouth "If I let it out, it would be unhealthy for you … Ya' know"

Using the same phrasing as him, she earned a side grin from Harry who took the cue and didn't carry on with his teasing. They pushed through the unwelcoming crowd with several of them giving them glares of despise while the others simply ignored them.

"Classy or not, they are the same looks …" A clever comment from Hermione caused Harry to chuckle lightly without any retort of his own. When they finally reached the main counter they quickly found two chairs next to each other and Harry called for the bartender.

"Excuse me …" He called politely but the bartender was not the polite type, he kept of wiping his mugs not bothering to face him as he replied "What?"

"Two earl gray tea, if you please …" The order was definitely out of place in a hellhole like this, even Hermione was surprised by the order looked at her raven-haired friend in disbelief. The bartender however had another response; the request made him halt his cleaning and he threw his towel on his massive shoulder before turning around toward them.

"We serve no tea, ese" The enormous man stated folding his arms together to show off his flexed muscles and Harry, never intimidated by the stance, replied even more calmly "I'll settle for coffee, then …"

The bartender didn't believe what he was seeing, was that man human or a stone-cold statue? But that cool act from Harry had definitely provoked him, so he leaned on his rugged arms until his face came so close to Harry's and looked at him straight in the eyes in a way that scared Hermione herself.

"Are you trying to play cool, Holmes. Either you order a macho drink or fuck off" The tender gave his tender in somewhat a loud tone that attracted the attention of some people who got excited for the upcoming fight. However, Harry did not even flinch at the howling and held both his ground impressively.

"Don't try to play macho yourself or I will be tempted to put your manners to the test …" Harry replied in defiance locking his confident eyes into the tender's ferocious ones. Everybody was amazed by the sudden conflict for they thought that no one can withstand the bartender's intimidations, even the big man himself could not help but to feel surprised at the unusual reaction, but also have another unusual feeling … Nervousness.

Since the minute Harry locked his eyes into his, he felt that this man was not of the usual riffraff that came to his tavern; as if the eyes opened a window to the young man's soul where he saw the raging sea of power within … A sea that a veteran fighter like him must not jump in.

"Will you bring my coffee, then?" Harry asked again but with more firmness this time and, much to the audience surprise, the tender hesitated for a moment before he complied with a "Si, senor …"

The usual customers who witnessed the will clash were completely flabbergasted by the outcome; normally anyone who comes first time in here would have a hard time before they are served. Mostly they leave in disgrace accompanied by the laughs of the herd. However, this time this new guy won the duel in a single clash even though he never showed any special qualities on him. But the enormous man alone knew better than them that this battle could not be won when he recognized Harry's eyes with just one look … They where eyes of a warrior.

"Well, that's a change …" Hermione who was silent during the whole ordeal spoke at last "It was you who almost started a brawl this time, not me …"

The raven-haired auror barely suppressed his laughter while retorting "It's not a real brawl, actually. It's more like will conflict …" his explanation earned him a pout from his muggle friend "But honestly, Harry … When he leaned towards you I thought you were done for …"

Harry merely shrugged and retorted "I told you, it's a will conflict …" he they looked at her with serious eyes "Enough of that for now; I want you to do something for me …"

She suddenly got alerted by his tone, a serious one it was, one that he never used unless he was thinking of something important. So, she leaned towards him wearing the same look "I'm all ears …"

"I want you to scan the room for any clues, mentally I mean …" His request surprised her for she never tried to do a large scale mind reading before. However, Harry quickly guessed what she was thinking at the moment and stated with a knowing smile "Don't worry, I won't ask much; look on the surface only and don't go deep …"

"Alright …" She replied halfheartedly before closing her eyes. As soon as she started her surf, a wave of mixed thoughts almost delivered a heavy blow to her mind; it was as if she was in the middle of the raging ocean. She looked around for a few minutes before she stopped with a 'Tsk'.

"I dare to assume that you didn't find anything useful …" The raven-haired man stated coolly and she retorted with a pout "If you were looking for dirty speech and rude remarks then I can give you a tomeful, these blokes are as thoughtful as a rutting rhino that got dumped by its mate …"

That unusual remark caused Harry's to be utterly surprised as appeared on his face with a dropped jaw and widened eyes. His expressions then turned into a wide smile as he retorted "You surely pick up some of that colorful tongue along our way here, 'Mione …"

"Well, when you put a good apple beside a rotten one, what do you expect?" She stated with a grumble and he laughed once more. At that moment, the bartender retuned with their order.

"Your coffee …" The big man mumbled hurriedly and was about to flee the scene but Harry ushered him to stop.

"A moment, if you please …" The raven-haired man said and the tender looked at him with a cocked eyebrow which Harry took as a 'go on' sign "I would like to know if you saw the person in this picture …"

He pulled out a picture from his coat's inner pocket and handed it to the tender who didn't take more than a glance before retuning it back with the same stone face "The hood is down amigo … How can I recognize him like that?"

Harry took back the picture and returned it to his pocket pulling another three "I know it's not clear, but I thought you might've seen someone wearing like that. However, there are three persons I seek …" he flashed him the new pictures and continued "Those three …"

The tender took the new pictures and looked intently into the clear faces within them. They were the faces of non other than the elite death eaters Flint, Swift and Zabini. He kept looking into them for some time before return them back to Harry while shaking his head "Sorry amigo, I didn't see anyone of them here …"

"Oh, I see … Sorry to bother you" The young man said with apparent disappointment then turned his attention back at his female companion "No luck so far, but I think we should ask around for anyone who saw them"

"Do whatever you see fit, Harry … I'm right behind you" She agreed with him completely and they got off their seats as soon as they finished their drinks. They asked around with no avail until they reached a table of arm wrestling gamblers.

"Hola amigos … Mind if I ask you something?" The raven-haired man said calmly but the wrestlers never bothered to answer him, instead they carried on with their duel until one of them lost with a bang.

"Hehe … I one again, Homie" The winner said in triumph before looking at Harry with a hint of arrogance in his eyes "What do you want, holmes?"

"I just want to bother you with one thing …" Harry said in an all-cool way and Hermione couldn't believe how he could keep his cool with such a haughty person. She saw him pulling the same pictures again and showed them to the arm-wrestler "Did you meet those blokes by any chance?"

The muscular man didn't even have a single look at the pictures when he answered him "I don't know …" Harry was surprised by the act and wave the pictures with apparent annoyance "At least take a look at them before you answer …"

"I only answer machos amigo …" The wrestler stated with his haughtiness taking definite form "And the only way to prove it is arm wrestling …"

Now it was all clear to Harry; this man thought that winning in wrestling made him feel invincible. He was rude, snobbish, and thick in body and mind to boot … The very kind Harry always detested.

"I don't have time for silly games …" Harry's reply was so reasonable when he put the pictures back in his pocket and turned away from them with Hermione on his tail. However, the veteran wrestler knew how to incite his opponents.

"Yes … Run away like a coward, gringo" He said hoping to provoke Harry who never even slowed his pace and only Hermione shot him an angry glare while keeping up with Harry's walking. So, he resorted to something even lower.

"Your bitch is even braver than you …" This time Harry came to a halt causing Hermione to almost collide with him. He turned slowly until he faced the cocky wrestle with his face bearing silent fury.

"Take it back …" The young man said slowly but the enormous one shook his head negatively "Only you can do that, gringo, and you know how … Wrestling"

Both men kept staring at each other intently only to be interrupted by Hermione's muttering "Harry … Please don't do that" However, it was too late for he Harry has already made his mind.

"Okay then …" The young wizard stated coolly as he took his seat on the wrestling table "If you don't take them, I'll make you eat them …"

"Speak of yourself, gringo. As for me, I'm looking forward to gain my 100th victory …" The wrestler said while flexing his muscular wrestling arm "Through this golden arm, I will gain my golden victory …"

"Oh, bloody …" That was the only comment Hermione could share at the moment. She never liked the idea of these childish games anyway, but she also knew that no power on earth could change Harry's mind if he sets it on something.

"Alright then, I have only one thing to say … Be careful" She said calmly and the flashed a cocky smile "Don't worry chica, your little boyfriend will not be harmed"

"I meant you …" She suddenly interrupted him causing him to look in shock at her indifferent face before that shock turned anger.

"So, your chica thinks you're all cool macho, eh? Let's add more flavor, then …" The wrestler said before turning to one of his henchmen "Carlos, bring in the baskets …"

"You mean _the_ baskets?" The henchman replied with a question which angered his companion "What else, idiota?" Carlos nodded hurriedly and went to fetch whatever he was asked for leaving both contestants looking at each other defiance.

"So …" The wrestler said showing off once more with an arm flex "While Carlos brings the baskets, why don't we do the usual thing in these kinds of games … A good bet, I mean"

"Okay … How much do you want?" Harry spoke calmly and the wrestler chuckled in gibe "Doesn't matter, just pay what you can …" he then pointed a finger at him while wearing a confident smile "But know that whatever you pay, I'll double it … That is _if_ you won"

"Well, I hope you are will-covered …" The young man said putting his hand into his pocket "Because I'm paying plenty …"

As soon as he finished his words, he slammed the table with what he pulled from his pocket and the crowd gave a long astonished whoop; the thing he slammed the table with was a large bundle of dollars which didn't look like a fake one.

"Five thousand dollars …" The raven-haired man said to his flabbergasted opponent "And keep your double for yourself; if I won I want you to take back the words you said earlier and speak of a few new ones I need …"

"Whatever you say, ese. Don't say I didn't warn ya'" The wrestler said with his eyes fixed on the green bundle of cash. A few moments later, Carlos came back with two baskets and he put it on the table opposite to each other and up-side-down. The wrestler readied himself and gestured Harry to do the same.

"Radius, ulna, or both …" Harry said all of the sudden as he grabbed the hand of the wrestler who looked at him in confusion "Qui?"

"Which one do you want me to break?" Flashing an evil smile, he retorted calmly causing steam to rush up the wrestler's head.

"I will not be the one with a broken arm, gringo …" the enormous man replied in fury and the crowd got excited at the feeling killer intent rushing out of their favorite champion. There was one, however, who was not giving attention to the upcoming conflict; this one was Hermione. She did not care about the inciting words thrown around or the booing shouted at Harry, her mind was inside the baskets hearing the hissing sounds coming out of them.

"Ready, steady … GO!!" Carlos announced the starting of the duel and removed the baskets revealing what was under them; two black cobra cobras with yellow venomous eyes let alone the fangs themselves.

"Oh my God, Harry …" Her heart fell at the sight of the cobras and her fear can only be compared to the crowd's excitement and the wrestler's glee.

"I warned you, ese. I never lost a duel even to people double your size … And the snake duel is my favorite" The muscled man started his usual mockery which was mainly to discourage his opponent but also to infuriate them and make them show their cards. Harry, on the other hand, did not reply and seemed to struggle for stabilization. Hermione held her hands tightly and prayed with all her heart, not only for his victory but also to be saved from the venomous creatures.

The wrestler also felt his struggle and smiled inwardly _'Now it's the time …'_ he said to himself _'Let him feel the bite'_ and with all his strength he gave a final push towards victory. But it was far from being over.

"What?!" The older man exclaimed when his strong push yielded nothing. It was then when Harry raised his eyes to meet the wrestler's and the latter knew that it was all a play from the beginning.

"Is that all you got?" Harry asked in what sounded more as a statement but the other man never answered him. He now knows that the struggling was just a clever feint to extract his true strength; the same concept he himself used but in different way.

"Like all the dolts before you I'm gonna teach you one thing …" said the younger man with his voice accompanied by rising hissing from the two snakes as if they knew it was almost over "NEVER LOOK DOWN ON ME!!"

With the last words, the final act was put by Harry who slammed his opponent's arm on the table and the bang echoed through the now-silent hall. The vibrations caused by the hit were enough for the snakes to charge. The wrestler now was in a position he never been into; looking eye to eye at the snake … It was scary as Hell.

The cobra raised its head ready to attack the wrestler's face and cold sweat began to form on his forehead; no escape from that one so it's better to take it like a man. As if the snake read his mind, it bounced suddenly.

"eett-" With a choked voice the big man yelped feeling the pain before the contact. Much to his surprise, there was no bite at all. He opened his eyes to see the reason for this delay only to see an unbelievable scene; Harry was holding both snakes by the head.

"Wh-What?!" The wrestler asked in shock but the crowd themselves where flabbergasted by what Harry just did; the image of Harry with two hissing snakes in his hands was more than what they wanted to see … And frightening to boot.

"Giving up on the fight …" Harry spoke up in a tone heard by the whole crowd "This is not a man's way …" The wrestler didn't reply; the last ordeal was scar to the point that his mouth was so dry; and finally when he was able to speak, his voice came out with a visible stutter.

"Wha-What … H-How?!" His shock was obvious in both words and expressions, and was on the contrary to Harry's calm posture who smiled at the pitiful scene before him.

"Unlike you, I stood my ground …" The younger man stated calmly holding up the struggling cobras in front of him "And fought my battle to the end …" stressing the last word, he squeezed the heads of the violent snakes causing them to give few painful writhes before they stopped completely. The astonished wrestler switched glances between the dead snakes, now thrown on the ground in front of him, and Harry who picked up his five thousand dollar bet.

"You lost, so you don't deserve this …" He said while throwing the bundle of cash into is pocket and took out the pictures once more "And I deserve to know what I want … So speak"

The wrestler got up from the floor and gave Harry a loathing look before muttering "I now nothing, holmes …"

"I told you before that I want information instead of money … So, spill the beans" Harry's reply was calm yet there was some strictness in it and was on the contrary to the wrestler's voice whose voice convoyed the daunt within him "I told you amigo, I have nothing …"

Harry looked at him deeply in the eyes before he turned to the door "You are just a waste, after all …" he then left the pub with Hermione behind him.

"Was it worth it?" She finally spoke after her silence during the duel with her voice carry some of her annoyance "Fighting a meaningless battle that served only as a time-wasting one?"

"From where I see it, it was completely worth it …" He retorted firmly without even turning around to face her "No body should badmouth you in my presence"

His revelation made her realize the error of her thoughts. At first, she thought that it was all about his pride and proving his manhood, but now that he said it she realized that it was all for her sake. He was a knight fighting to protect his lady's honor … And her knight never lost a duel.

These thoughts caused a blush appear in her face that, luckily for her, he never noticed. And after they walk away from the pub for about ten meters, they heard the door open and a heavy pair of boots rushing towards them in unstable steps.

"I can help you, senor …" A timid voice came from behind and they turned around to see the source; a short and thin man who was shaking as he spoke.

"I know someone who saw those in the pictures …" The skinny man said with the same timid voice that matched his shaky exterior "But he will not speak for free …"

As expected, all that speech was for the money Harry was carrying; he knew that such a large bundle would attract burglars but he didn't expect a forward engagement. Hermione too wasn't feeling good about the shaky man; his surface thoughts weren't more than money talks and nothing was in favor or against his proposal. But a voice inside her told her that something is totally wrong about him.

"Harry …" She whispered to her wizard friend who leaned towards her "His thoughts are all about your lovely cash, but still … I feel uneasy" her comment caused him to smile a bit.

"Don't worry …" Said he to comfort her "I know that we are probably walking into a trap …" if that was his idea of encouragement then he failed miserably; her tension has doubled by that answer.

"But I won't miss the slightest chance of gaining information because I'm worried about getting ensnared …" Knowing what's in her mind, he whispered to her which she thought of as both brave and foolish; but that's Harry for her. As for the young man himself, he was mentally on his toes despite looking calm, for this skinny bloke reminded him of another fat one … And a ratty one. The rest of the stroll was silent with them walking through obscure dirt paths until they reached a desolate place between the thick trees. It was then when the skinny man reared his true ugly face.

"Now, senor … If you value your life then you will hand me that big bundle of cash in your pocket" The thin git spoke in confidence contrary to the shaky personality he showed at first "And you can leave your chica behind for the boys to have fun, you see …"

With the last words, a group of twenty big muscled men appeared from behind the trees and surrounded them completely. And Hermione felt her heart quicken in its pace; there was no way out of this snare. Harry was the exact of her and stood his grounds bravely.

"What do we have here … Highwaymen, and pathetic ones to boot" A calm comment from Harry but not without a taste of cheekiness "Well, I have only one thing to say …" he stepped forward and gave the waiting bunch a long serious look "Over my dead body …"

The thin man was both astonished and infuriated at the defiance he saw from Harry; he thought that at the sight of his gang the young man would give in easily, yet he was standing there throwing insults at them which caused the steam to rush up the skinny man's head.

"Teach that bastardo a lesson …" He bellowed at his followers and one of them rushed at Harry with an iron rod in his hands aiming for his head. The hit would be inevitable in case of a normal person, but with Harry one cannot be too sure; so the next second caused the witnesses an utter shock.

With his ultra-fast reflexes, Harry grabbed the attacker by his weapon arm and gave him a swift leg sweep that made him lose balance, and then he felt himself flip over before he felt a sudden pain as his back hit the solid ground.

"It looks like I won't use all my strength in this fight …" The young auror said while yawning in which was more than enough for the brigands to be enraged. Their leader yelled at the top of his voice "Kill him!!" but even if he didn't say the word they would've jumped in anyway, for Harry's provocation was more than their bearing.

At first, only five of them took position around Harry and made sure that there was no escape for him. The young auror, on the other hand, didn't change his stance. In fact, he didn't take a stance at all and looked at the thugs around him with the same inciting smile on his face.

"Come …" As if his word pushed a trigger, four of the five rushed at him at the same time. Harry just stood still then suddenly he grabbed two of them by their forearmdd and did the same sweep and twist as he did for his first victim, but this time he added more vigor in the wrist twist forcing the thugs to do a frontal somersaults that caused them to bring their legs in forceful contact with their other partners faces before landing hard beside them.

"Jujitsu …" The young man stated not changing his calm demeanor before ushering the last thug with his hand "Come …"

Witnessing what happened to his comrades, the standing brigand hesitated for a minute. They fought him as pairs yet they lost miserably; what will he do against him he's standing alone.

However, his unrest did not last long when he saw another on of the gang joining the fight from Harry's blind spot behind him, so he smiled evilly and rushed at the young man with switchblade in hand; he wouldn't be able to attack alone but the newcomer might distract Harry for a second which will be more than enough for him to bury this blade in his belly.

The plan seemed flawless even against someone as fast as Harry, but there was one thing that disrupted its perfectness and this thing was a sudden kick at the new assailant face. It seemed that Hermione got fed up with just watching and wanted to participated in this game, plus the fact that the men ignored her burned her spirit even more.

"No body asked you to join yet, dammit …" She addressed the fallen man who only answered with a groan, then she looked at Harry with a confident smile "I'll watch your back, partner …" Harry corresponded with widened smile while grabbing the other assailant by the arm just inches before he got stabbed.

"I'm honored …" He said before looking back at his new victim "As for you, I think it is judo time … KYAA!!" and he translated his words into a magnificent shoulder toss that sent the thug flying to the nearest tree. The gang leader couldn't believe that six of his men, six strong men, got defeated by only two persons one of them is a woman, so anger was totally justified as he ordered the rest of the group "Kill them both!!" and a battle ensued …

It was a true battle royal that cannot be described in mere words in which both Harry and Hermione held their grounds bravely. They might've been surrounded, they might've been outnumbered, but it was not a matter of numbers; it was simply a battle between street punks and professional fighters. Of course, Harry was considered more than professional; he was a master swordsman and a universal fighter thanks to the 'special' training his sensei gave him, and no one should not think low of Hermione, too, for she was a law enforcer to begin with, not to mention the extra counter-terrorism training she participated in. all in all, the result of that fight was predictable, at least for those who know our protagonists well.

"Ippon …" Said Harry as he gave a final judo toss to the last thug ending what seemed to be a one-sided fight. He eyed with satisfaction what he has produced; a ground full of groaning lowlifes, so a content smile appeared on his calm face and was on the opposite of Hermione who was panting heavily.

"Phew, that was refreshing …" Hermione stated in exhaustion while walking towards a nearby tree where she hanged her back pack and leaned against it "I don't remember the last time I kicked a felon's arse …"

"Get used to it. This is my life, after all …" Her raven-haired friend retorted and pointed at her pack where he saw her sword hilt obviously showing "Don't you ever part with your sword; I don't guarantee what sensei would do if you lost it …"

"Whatever …" She rolled her eyes and he smiled at her before walking towards the now-scared man with an evil smile on his face "Missed me …"

"Por favor, senor … I'm really sorry. I- I-" The shaky man begged in a pathetic way for one who was in control in the last five minutes. That attitude made Harry pout in disgust "If you want me to let you go unharmed, then you better tell me something useful …" he pulled out the pictures of the death eaters and slammed them in his face "Tell me you saw these persons …"

"I did not see anyone, senor …" Panicked by the sudden harshness from Harry, the skinny man blurted. However, Harry looked in him straight in the eyes he added "But if you let me off, I will look for whatever you want …"

"O really?!" The young auror said coldly "There is one way to make sure of that … Let's go on a mind ride" he picked up the shaky man by the collar and pushed him in front of him towards the resting Hermione "Oi, Hermione. There's a bloke here with a thick mind in that needs lightening …"

Hermione rolled her eyes and let off a long sigh "Honestly, Harry …" she then got up and walked in slower motion due to her exhaustion. Also, her weariness affected her ability of sense for she didn't feel anything wrong until she saw Harry's widened eyes, then a strong arm suddenly surrounded her neck and cold metal touched her temple.

"This is where you stop, gringo …"The newcomer said confidently now that he controlled the scene and Hermione felt herself choked by his strong grip. Harry, on the other hand, was surprised for he did not expect to meet that person so soon and in this place. It was the very wrestler he defeated earlier at the pub.

"Jose!!" The skinny guy exclaimed in a mix of surprise and relief but the newcomer ignored him as he addressed Harry "Now senor, I want you to let go of my little bro and walk away slowly …" The strong man said slowly "And don't forget to give him your five thousand dollars …"

"First you have to release my friend …" Harry retorted firmly but Jose shook his head "Why would I waste my ticket out of here?" he then smiled evilly and Hermione let out a pained yelp when he pressed his gun on her temple "Plus, she would make a fine ho … Now, free my bro"

Harry gritted his teeth when he fully evaluated the situation; he never thought that it would come to this kind of complication even with him not surrounded, yet the worst of this situation was clearly happening to Hermione who was almost choking from the tight grip. After deep thinking, he concluded that the best solution was to comply with their demands for the moment at least.

"Go …" He said to the skinny man and threw the bundle of cash that he pulled out at him and prayed for an opening to show itself. The shaky man ran to his brother not believing that he was free when he was a minute away from being tortured. When he reached his brothers side he leaned against the tree and panted heavily.

"What _Huff_ took you _Wheeze_ so long, bro?" He said between pant and Jose answered him without taking his eyes off the waiting Harry "I ain't late, idiota. I came to collect my share as usual but I saw that you failed …" he showed an evil smile and continued "As usual …" The skinny man was annoyed by the last remark and retaliated immediately.

"I have a good reason for that you already know …" Said he "This gringo is not weak … he has beaten you for God's sake" he then shuddered at a resent memory "But I have to say 'Gracias', if you didn't come he might've tortured me"

"All in good time, ese …" Jose retorted then towards his shaky brother "Take my other piece and cover us while we retreat" the man complied half-heartedly, but when he noticed Harry's movement by a side glance he quickly snatched the gun and pointed it at him.

"D-Don't move!!" With a shaky hand the man aimed the gun at Harry who just stood there calmly with his hands in his pockets "What's in your hands?!"

"Nothing …" The young auror replied pulling out his hands slowly "I just got bloody tired from your bickering. I have one thing to tell you, though …" he then pointed at Hermione who was struggling to free herself "Let go of my friend and I might grant you mercy …"

The big man looked at him vacantly as if he was gobsmacked by the sudden threat, then a low chuckle emitted from him that soon changed to a high-pitched laugh. His brother followed with a nervous laugh of his own.

"Mercy?! You?!" Jose stated mockingly and gave a little squeeze to Hermione earning him a yelp from her "You forgot that I'm the one controlling the scene, ese; and it's different from that silly game we had earlier. It's the real deal, amigo …"

"If you don't let me off now then I will be the one who'll show you the real deal, you wanker …" Hermione was finally able to speak even though with a choking voice. The wrestler smiled confidently and tilted her head up to look at her face "Oh really?! And what can a little chica like you do?"

"Something like this …" It was a bad move from him because it allowed her eye contact. Truthfully, her struggling was not to free herself but to make that contact, and now that she succeeded it was clear from his face that she gained the upper hand "You are mine now …"

The skinny man did not now know what actually happened and only saw his brother strangely sweating. Jose, on the other hand, was experiencing more than just simple sweating; he lost control over his body and was hearing Hermione's voice inside his head.

_'You are now under my total control …'_ She said in confidence as she walked slowly in the corridors of Jose's mind _'I can force you to do anything I want … This for example'_ the man eyes widened when he saw his armed hand open up and drop the gun even though he never thought of that. He looked back at the unblinking eyes Hermione in panic.

"You bitch!!" He yelled in panicked fury that made his brother jump "What have you done to me?!" he never received a verbal answer from Hermione but in his mind he heard _'You will release me whether you want it or not …'_

With his eyes wide from shock, he saw his other arm opening slowly giving the bushy haired girl some room to move but she wasn't fully released yet. So, he tried to fight back in order to regain his will over his own body.

"I won't let you, bitch …" Gritting his teeth, the big man's arm started to shake in its place; a stalemate for the moment, but Hermione knew that it will not last long for her strength was failing her thanks to the fight they had earlier with the other gang members. The skinny man witnessed the whole struggle and concluded Hermione had a hand in it. So he flipped his pistol and sent a blow to her temple.

"Leave my brother alone, you bitch …" The blow he sent was enough to break the contact giving the full control back to Jose who was heaving because of the mental fight. He looked at Hermione in detest and spoke from between his teeth.

"You demon bitch …" Said he "I will not forgive you … YOU BITCH!!" he sent her to a far tree and her leg hit a remnant of a branch that stuck from there which sent a painful shock through her whole leg. She yelped closed her eyes because of the pain before opening them only to see the big thug pointing his gun at her with the most terrifying look on his face.

"You die now …" He said as he pulled the trigger and she closed her eyes waiting for the bullet to come but all what she heard was a sharp sound of metal bang. She opened her eyes only to have a glimpse of Harry's back, he seemed to have deflected the bullet using his sword, and in the other hand she saw her own sword; Ichizawa …

"Now … I am mad" The angry young auror spoke slowly in a voice that sounded like it was from the deepest pit of Hell; so the terrified shudder that the thugs showed was completely justified. Hermione, on the other hand, was relieved by her friend's sight and an exhausted smile appeared on her face; Harry was lethal with only one sword, what will he be with two? And not any swords, but the twin blades themselves. Her smile deepened when she reached the conclusion.

"You die now …" With a sense of irony, Hermione repeated the thug's words to him and he snapped out of the terror trance "Fire! Fire!" He ordered his brother and took a shooting stance himself, but it was all in vain when he sensed a presence standing between him and his brother and saw the gun barrel slide off the gun slowly after being incredibly cut in half along with the unfired bullet. He then felt the edge of cold steel on his throat.

"It's over …" With the final words, the battle was concluded and the thugs dropped to the ground as blood seeped from their sliced throats along with their lives. Harry ignored the dying couple and went straight to Hermione.

"Hermione, are you alright?" He asked in worry but a smile from his female friend assured him "Enough already of these stupid questions … I'm okay"

He sighed in relief before he switched from worry to reprimand "You brash girl …" he said "Performing mind reading without someone to watch over you"

"I know …" She said in a serious tone then a smile appeared on her face "And I also know that you are there to protect me …"

The reply was unexpected for Harry whose face showed signs of surprise he then smiled calmly "I am honored that you trust me like that, but you still did a reckless thing …" He tapped her forehead with his index finger "Don't you do it ever again …"

"Ouch!" Hermione said and rubbed her forehead "Your finger hurts more than the pistol's butt …" he laughed at her retort and she pouted at him. After that, she tried to get up only to feel a surge of pain shooting through her leg.

"Ah!" The sight of her pain cut Harry's laugh and he quickly held her before she dropped to the ground "What happened?"

"My leg …" She answered with a groan "When that bloody thief threw me, it hit the log …" the concerned look on Harry's face caused her to smile despite her pain "It's not that I'm dying or anything …"

"It's my fault …" The young man muttered then turned on his earphone "Dick, do you read me?"

_"Loud and clear …"_ The Intel specialist replied and Harry ordered "Send me a picture of the safe house you are in …"

_"Okeydokey …"_ Dick complied with the order and in few seconds a picture appeared in Harry's GPS "Alright …" He said "Let's get a move on …" and with a swift move he swept Hermione off the ground.

"Hey …" The injured woman protested at the move but Harry didn't even apologize "You shouldn't walk about with such injury …" that was all what he said which definitely lacked courtesy albeit being frank about it.

"Are you ready?" Preparing themselves for disapparition, he asked her on last time and her answer came confident unlike the previous times "Yes …"

"Then we go …" With the last words said, they disappeared without a trace, but not before we saw a glimpse of the young woman seeking comfort in her dearest friend shoulder …

--

In only an instant, the scenery changed from outdoors to indoors with Dick assuming a seat calmly while waiting for the couple to arrive. However, this content turned into surprise when he saw Harry appeared with Hermione between his arms.

"Wha-What happened?" The Intel auror asked in apparent shock and Harry replied instantly "Call for Tonks or Sofia to come on the double, Hermione needs medical attention … Now!!" Dick jumped into action immediately and Hermione moaned about the situation.

"It's only a sprain, Harry. No need for all that fuss …" Hermione protested at her friend's exaggeration but that only earned her a sharp retort.

"You are not a specialist, so you're opinion means nothing …" Harry said while they were on the way to the bedroom and when they reach it, he placed her on the bad and said "And until either Tonks or Sofia comes, you will not take one step on that leg …"

"Wotcher … Somebody called my name?" The pink haired auror burst into the room like her usual self. Harry never heeded her rudeness and addressed her calmly "It's good that you're the one here first, Tonks. Hermione got her leg injured during our inspection …"

"I told you it is just a bloody sprain!" Now feeling irritated, Hermione spoke rather loudly and Tonks retorted while looking at her "I'll be the judge of that … But I have to say that I'm a bit surprised"

"And why is that?" Harry asked and Tonks cocked an eyebrow before answering "It's not you on the bed this time …"

The young auror stretched his lips in indifference and didn't retort, instead he ushered her to the bed "Just do your bloody thing and let's get on with it …"

"Alright, don't push …" She said with a titter then turned her attention to Hermione. She only managed to touch her injured leg and a sudden 'ouch' came out of the woman.

"Ah, that explains it …" The medi-auror stated in an all-knowing tone "But first things first …" she suddenly turned to the observing Harry and said "Out …"

"I beg your pardon?" the young man inquired in confusion and Tonks said sharply "I said get out! Did you expect me to examine a woman in a man's presence?"

A blush appeared on Harry's face as he stuttered "Well I .. err .. I will be outside in case you needed me"

"Just get out …" Another yell cause Harry to rush outside the room and Tonks turned to Hermione giggling loudly.

"That was a bit harsh, don't you think?" The younger woman stated firmly even though she was smiling at the scene and the pink-haired woman retorted grinning "I know, but I couldn't help it. Tangling Harry in such social situations is surely tempting; I assume you already know how clumsy he is around girls …"

"In that, you are not mistaken …" Hermione replied with a smile of her own then she muttered absentmindedly when Tonks wasn't looking at her "It made him look cute, though …"

"Excuse me" The older woman inquired and the younger one noticed what she just said and stated dismissively "Nothing …"

Tonks shrugged and got on with her medical examination. At first, she lift the trouser a bit revealing the swollen ankle, then she applied pressure on the swelling which earned her a sharp squeal from Hermione.

"Ouch! It hurts!" The younger woman said in a yell and the medi-auror didn't even look at hurt "It should be, and if I put a tad more pressure …"

"Ooooooww!!" This time Hermione's cry of pain filled the room but Tonks only retorted impartially "You are such a little girl …"

"With a press like that, even the strongest man will squeal like a newborn …" The bushy-haired woman retorted sharply and Tonks reply was in the form of a smile nothing more. After performing the thorough examination, Tonks sat down and started thinking of a possible cure.

"With a swelling like this only that potion will work, it's a good thing that I brought my emergency pack …" The medi-auror voiced her thoughts then she leaned her head against her arm "If only I have an assistant, the preparation would take no time …"

"Sorry I'm late; Dick called while we were in busy with our last search …" Sofia chose this moment to enter and Tonks sighed in relief "Speak of the devil … Sofia, can I ask a favor?"

"Yes?" The French auror replied with a nod and the pink haired woman continued "I gave Dick my special emergency kit before we went for the search, could you fetch it for me?"

"I'm on it …" Sofia complied and walked out of the room leaving the two women alone. Tonks pulled a chair and sat in front of Hermione bearing a wide smile on her face.

"What?" The bushy-haired girl said nervously; that type of smile was uncomfortable, especially when it came from a person whom she only knew for few days. Tonks didn't remove the smile from her face when she leaned towards her and stated "There is something between you and Harry, isn't it?"

That was a direct blow, and it hit the bull's-eye for sure as it showed on Hermione's face. A bright blush appeared on the younger woman's face and she fidgeted on her bed "W-What do you mean by that?"

"I knew it …" Tonks said in a victorious tone "When Dick told me about Harry's worry _and_ when I witnessed it myself, it was clear that you and Harry has a thing between you"

The more she spoke, the more the blush reddened; maybe it was obvious that she and Harry had growing chemistry between each other but Tonks was the first one to point it out so boldly.

"S-So what?!" Hermione tried to defend with a nervous voice "Anyone would feel worried around injured people …"

"Not Harry …" It was Tonks' time to disagree "Even during the moat perilous situations, Harry was calm and collected and never lost his cool …" she leaned back on her chair with a knowing smile playing on her face "No one knows him better than me …"

Hermione felt tensed at the continuous attack from Tonks then she noticed something when the last statement hit her.

"What do you mean 'Better than you'?" She asked cautiously waiting for the other woman to answer. However, Tonks didn't answer quickly, instead she leaned towards the lying Hermione and said with the same smile "I was Harry's training auror …"

The answer came down on her like cold water on a sleeper; seeing how old Harry's mentor is she automatically assumed that it was the same thing for his auror training. But seeing how young and stunning Tonks was, she couldn't speak a word. At that moment, Sofia came back with a small bag in her right hand.

"Damné Dick; that man is never arranged. He treats the medical kit like one of his computers … Good thing nothing was broken" The French auror entered while cursing her fiancé rather loudly and handed the aforementioned kit to Tonks.

"Don't worry, this bag is has a protective charm on it …" The senior medi-auror assured her and opened the bag revealing a neat set of potions and paste-filled jars, none of them was broken, though.

"Watch and learn …" Tonks said to the young auror and commenced with the physical examination once more on Hermione's leg "First let's examine the bruise one last time …" she put her words into effect earning her a short cry from the injured woman.

"Ouch, that hurts!!" Hermione protested at the mistreatment in her treatment but the medi-auror didn't heed her and carried on with her demonstration "Now the examination is done. What do you see?"

"A diffused bruise along with a large swelling …" Sofia answered in boredom "And I know how to treat it; deflating draught and bruise-healing paste …" the answer caused Tonks to flash a shrewd smile.

"You fell in the same trap everyone else did …" She said slowly "You confused a situation with a regular healing one. There is a difference between hospital healing and field healing …"

"What is the difference?" Hermione asked when she got interested with the topic and the pink-haired woman turned to her with the same smile "The regular healer has access to nigh-limitless amounts of potions, pastes and other equipments. However, the medi-auror is not and has to make do with what's in his possession, like this time for instance …" Tonks looked into her kit and browse through the potions; finally she pulled out a vial filled with a purple liquid.

"We found the deflating draught, but the bruise-healing paste is nowhere to be seen" She said then turned to the French medi-auror "What will you do in this situation?"

The young auror squeezed her brain looking for an answer to this enigma but she found none. In the end, all what she could give was a head shake. Tonks took that as a no and answered herself.

"If you looked closely you can see that we have Murtlap Essence …" She said pulling out anther vial filled with a distinctive yellowish thick liquid, then she continued before the other auror protested "I know that you would say 'It is not a bruise lotion', but first tell me … What is the main function of Murtlap Essence?"

"Soothing wounds and boils, but how that relate with our case?" Sofia answered once more and Tonks retorted "Can you tell me what the main complaint for a patient with a bruise is …"

"Tenderness and sometimes throbbing pain, but … The essence is too strong for a simple bruise" The younger auror protested impatiently. However, her superior pointed a finger at her saying "This is where a medi-auror differs from a regular healer. I told you that you should always make do with what's within your grasp, so if the medicine is strong, simply …" she pulled out a jar full of oily substance "Dilute it …"

She put her words into effect by pulling a mortar and pestle out of her trusty pouch, then she fiddled once again with the contents and pulled out a vial filled with a green slimy substance.

"Flobberworm mucus?!" Sofia inquired in surprise. Tonks scooped some of the green slime and put it in the mortar "To dilute and thicken the strong essence …" she said

She added few drops of the essence then began the alligation, Hermione and Sofia watched in interest as the senior medi-auror was making the paste. However, in the midst of her work, Tonks suddenly stopped and looked at the watching younger auror.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing?" She snapped at her all of the sudden, and the poor girl jumped in her place "W-What?!"

"Stop watching me and administer the deflating draught to Hermione …" The senior auror retorted firmly and Sofia jumped of her seat.

"Yes!" She complied quickly and took the draught's jar. However, before she opened it she stopped and turned to Tonks "But … How much should I give?"

A loud ring filled the room when Tonks dropped the pestle in the porcelain mortar, she then turned to the young auror "What are you?! First-year healer?!" she bellowed at her underling "Calculate the proper dose and give it to her!!"

"Yes!!" The frightened medi-auror complied in an instant and turned her pale face to Hermione "What is your weight?"

"Excuse me?" The bushy-haired girl snapped out of the astonishment that scene caused her and the young auror repeated in annoyance "Your weight … if you don't want to be poisoned, then give me your accurate weight"

"About a hundred and forty pounds …" She answered the impatient auror who quickly started to calculate before pouring the needed amount in a small cup.

"Here, drink this" She said handing the filled cup to the Hermione who took it and gulp it in one move only to choke due to the bad taste.

"Nasty!!" The muggle girl exclaimed in disgust and the French healer almost yelled her reply "What did you expect … Pumpkin juice?!"

"Frankly, I was thinking more of butterbeer …" Hermione replied coolly while returning the cup and Sofia snatched it out of her hands with a resenting snort and nothing else. The former woman took this as a halt and looked away from her to the other pink-haired one who had just stopped levigating.

"And now after minutes of tiring mixing …" She said before tilting the mortar for the other girls to see "Voila! Your one and only Murtlap paste …"

"Ew!! That is one slimy paste …" Hermione commented in disgust and Tonks retorted while taking some cotton out of her trusty pack "True … But who said that pastes are the best looking remedies" she pulled a small table from the corner and put the mortar on it before she got seated herself.

"Now, it might take some time for the swelling to deflate, so in the mean time …" The medi-auror said then looked up with a smile on her face "Tell what really happened out there …"

--

"It's my fault … It's my fault" Harry paced the room back and forth in a way that annoyed Dick to the point of distraction. Finally, when he fed up with his boss's attitude, he asked in an annoyed yet collected tone.

"What's up, sir?" The Intel auror said but instead of an answer, all what he got was a complete silence except for the sound of footsteps of Harry's pacing. Finally, the pacing stopped and Harry looked at him wearing the best look he can at the moment, the tense look.

"All what I can say is … Well, things didn't go smoothly as expected" The raven-haired auror said "I thought that by bringing her along I can keep an eye on her, but even though she was within my sight, I could not prevent her from getting injured … I-" he sighed deeply then muttered "I failed her …"

The Intel auror didn't comment on that one, instead he kept his silence and continued with whatever he was doing. Harry didn't comment either and returned to his pacing before suddenly turning around and asking out of the blue.

"Say Dick, I want only a single but an honest answer" The senior auror asked his subordinate in a tone that wasn't in the liking of the latter "Was bringing Hermione along a good move, or was it all bad idea from the start?"

Dick did not answer this one, either. In fact, he couldn't … For doing so would bring him such inconvenience that he would rather not endure. Surely, a 'Yes' or a 'No' would not satisfy Harry at the moment. So, the only thing Dick was thinking of at that moment was for someone to save him from that jam. Fortunately, help came in an instant, and he, or rather she, was none other that his fiancé Sofia Blanc.

"Auror Blanc reporting, sir …" The female auror saluted Harry who gestured her to stop immediately.

"I told you not to salute me at all during this mission …" He spoke rather irritably "Anyway, Tonks is in the last room; go see if she needs any help"

"How is Granger, sir?" Sofia asked out of curiosity only to be answered sharply by Harry "You are the healer, not me … Go and see for yourself"

The young auror never replied and went directly to the corridor ignoring Dick's looks of plea for not leaving him with Harry and his exceptional sour mood. However, before she even take one step into the corridor, she turned around to state something she just remembered.

"Oh yes. Auror Weasley and I might've found some clues on the location of the death eaters; you might wanna look at it by yourself …" She said in a dry tone that matched his expressions which Harry never cared to comment on; king about the new info might've alleviated his mood a little.

"Great! At last something I can do properly … Dick, put on the picture of Ron's current location" Harry addressed his Intel specialist and the latter did as he instructed not forgetting to mouth a silent 'Thank You' behind Harry's back to his beloved fiancé who gave him a naughty wink before walking out of the room at the same moment Harry disapparated.

In a cave somewhere on the northern beach, the young auror materialized and walked out of it only to see his best mate waiting outside.

"That was fast …" The Ron jested as usual "I assume your hands were empty to come here this quick …"

"Save it, Ron. I am not in the mood" the raven-haired auror answered letting his sour mood to infect his tone which surprised the other man "Something wrong, mate?"

"Let's just say things aren't working as I have expected …" Harry retorted in muttering then gave a dismissive hand wave "Anyway, enough of this needless chat. Sofia told me that you found something that might interest me"

"More that interests you, mate. We found a muggle who saw and spoke with death eaters" The words were indeed more that interesting seeing the change on Harry's face. Without any additional word, he followed Ron to what looked like a ramshackle hut. There he saw an old native man setting by the front door and he was busy repairing a fishing net.

"There he is, our man …" Ron said while walking towards the old man who noticed them coming but didn't bother to stop what he was doing.

"I see zat you coum back boy, zere eez nossing ilse I know …" The old man spoke without taking his eyes of the net, and Harry and Ron exchanged looks before the latter leaned down and spoke to the old man "Senior Carlos, I have this one last rquest before we leave. Can you please repeat what you said to me for my friend here?"

At that moment the old man stopped his knitting and emitted a long sigh before he looked at the kneeling Ron "Only if you promeised me zat you weel lef me alone …" he said to the younger man who answered with a nod "Yes, I promise that we will do so …"

The old man shoved aside the net and ushered Harry to sit in front of him "Eet began two day ago ween ze weazar was bad enough to prefeent ze boats to sail, ze fishermen cuud not make profit at zat day weech in turn caused zem to ze lack of money to buy ozer food. At zat day a man in black clozes came to ze fishermen pub and bought out all zair boat paying big money. But my son came to me for permistian to sell his boat, and then … I saw zat scary mann"

The old man shivered for a moment before continuing "Za mann wuz dreissed in black, even his face wuz covered in black and he spuke in a scary voice zat caused me to shivar like zis" he shifted in his seat and continued "He told me zat he wanted ze boat to reach somesing n ze ozer side of ze rock island" he pointed at a distant small island "I agreed on seeling ze boat because zair wuz nosing ilse to buy food wiz, but not before I warned him of sailing on zat foggy day …"

"And did he take your advice …" Harry asked and the old man nodded "Ze man wuz scary but not fool, he knew ze dangers of sailing through a rocky beach wiz fog around. He waited until ze fog was thin before he sailed away, and zat was yesterday …"

Upon reaching that point, Harry frowned at the newfound information "That means that he has already beaten us to the thing he wanted …" the old man shook his head negatively "A boat needs two days to reach zat island and today ze fog has returned, so he is forced to drop anchor and wait for ze fog to clear before he moves again"

Even though he was theoretically speaking, the words of the old man somewhat alleviated Harry's mood who got up and took a long calculating look at rocky island before turning back to the old man.

"Do you have any other means for sail, another boat maybe?" The younger man asked the older one who shook his head negatively "I'm afraid nossing leift in here, ze man took all ze boats. But zere might be somesing …"

A thread of hope has appeared, and Harry wouldn't let it go for it might be the last thing that would ever come "Let's hear it, then …" he said, urging the man to spill the beans, and the old man hesitated for a second but he then got off his spot and ushered the boys to follow him.

"Coome wiz me …" He walked them to a nearby hut where he knocked on the door and called out with a language they didn't understand. Moments later, a young man wearing a pair of jeans and a dirty shirt came out of the hut looking surprised so see them.

"Zis is my soon Alejandro he weel tek you to zem, I have sum knitting to do …" The old man said his word and bid them farewell. Harry then turned to Alejandro.

"Greeting Mr. Alejandro, your father said that you already sold your boat but also mentioned another mean to ride the sea with …"

"You got that right …" Alejandro answered with word more fluent than his father's "Unfortunately, this 'mean' you speak of is not functional at the moment … Come, this way"

Both aurors nodded and followed him to the back yard. However, the more precise term for it would be 'Scrape-yard' and I hope it's not 'Chop-Shop'; scraps of metals are thrown here and there and a worn chair and table were placed under shade with dirty screwdriver and wrench sets placed on.

"Wow …" That was from Ron who looked at the unimaginable scene before him with a funny look on his face "And here I thought my Mum's kitchen was messy"

"This is my playground …" Said Alejandro with a tone that one can detect a hint of pride in it "In here I come and play with my toys like a busy bee …" He walked to the chair and sat down muttering "Well, there ain't no play no more … No money, no honey"

"I hate to interrupt your lovely speech we are kind of late for our appointment …" Harry interjected rather impatiently "Now, about that mean of sailing …"

"Oh yes, this is it …" He pointed at a certain spot where four run-down jet skis where put down haphazardly "These are my jewels, I bought them cheap from a tourist and Hell did I got hustled …" he picked up one of his wrench and started working on something "Two of 'em didn't even work and the other two stopped a week later"

"Is there any chance of repairing them?" Harry asked with disappointment appearing in his voice and Alejandro shook his head negatively.

"I told you before buddy … No money, no honey" The mechanic said "Heck, I couldn't afford the spare parts even when I had my boat. And now that I sold it … There's no way in Hell" he threw the wrench on the table and walked away from it "Oh well, I think this is the sign for me to move out to the city"

"Perhaps this would make you reconsider …" Harry said calmly waving a bundle of dollars which made both Ron's and Alejandro's jaws drop "I would like to buy those jet skis from you …"

"To hell with those wreck …" The young mechanic exclaimed "I could buy you new ones …"

"I am satisfied with the ones at hand, thank you …" The young auror said coolly "Besides, I want you to repair them for me …"

Alejandro looked at him in surprise then his business sense kicked in "I'm afraid it will cost you for repairs …"

"Did you think that I gave you that much because I collect antiques?" Harry retorted using a firm tone with a matching look "You are going to take it out of the money I give you …" he waved the bundle of cash in the man's face and said "So, is it a deal or not?"

Alejandro looked deep into Harry's wad o' cash carefully weighing his losses and profits, in the end he let out a long sigh and shrugged casually.

"Well, looks like it's fate that I'm swindled by tourists …" The young mechanic said stretching out his hand "It's a deal …"

"Splendid …" Harry said slamming the bundle of cash in Alejandro's open hand and shaking it at the same time. The latter then stated "Just give me three days an-"

"Did I mention that I want it first thing in the morning?" Harry interrupted him "If I wanted to wait that long then it would be better if I bought new ones"

"No way!!" The other man exclaimed this time "Even if I worked twenty-four-seven I wouldn't finish before the second day; those wreck need some hard work on 'em and I can't do it alone that fast …"

"And that's why you will have help …" The young auror retorted vaguely "See you later, Alejandro" he said good-bye to the mechanic and walked away. Ron snapped out of the astonishment that last conversation caused him and said to Harry in disapproval "That was a completely unnecessary thing to do, Harry …"

"It was completely necessary …" The young auror said to his best mate "Flint and his minions have beaten us with a whole day covering an unknown distance to an unknown goal. The only way to catch up with him is to use faster means of travel" he pulled out another bundle of dollars and handed it to Ron "And we are moving our headquarters to this area so that we move out first thing in the morning … Try to find us some good accommodations"

Even though Harry explained everything, Ron still had the same disagreeing look on his face. However, he didn't argue any further and snatched the cash bundle off his friends hand and said "You have to slow down now that you have a ... an associate"

"Why the long pause?" It was Harry's turn to frown on his friend's tone who retorted smartly "I was just looking for suitable words, ones that would not set you off"

Harry rolled his eyes and muttered 'Whatever' then turned to the same cave he came from and said "I will escort the others to this place; you better find a house and fast …"

--

"Unbelievable!!" Hermione exclaimed while swinging her injured leg forward and backwards; apparently, it was not injured anymore. Tonks smiled at her happy friend who said "The injury is gone, it's just like magic!!"

"Frankly, it is magic …" The senior medi-auror retorted then leaned back on her hair wearing a serious look on her face "But this is not important, the important thing is the story you just told me … What do you conclude from such event?"

"That Harry is … Strong?" Hermione's answer came in the form of question that Tonks frowned upon.

"He was strong before the fight …" the pink-haired auror half snapped at the other woman then rested her chin on her fist pondering "Maybe he is even stronger right now or maybe he is more of an … Invincible … Well, anyway" she gave a dismissive wave before she looked at Hermione and slowly said "He has killed … For you"

"That is something to be berated for, not praised. It is wrong to kill people even if one can do it …" The younger woman said firmly while clearly this revelation caused her a bit of unrest. Tonks, on the other hand, smiled at the uneasiness her muggle friend felt but didn't comment on it; instead she carried on with her explanation.

"Wrong or not, it has happened …" The pink-haired woman stated "Harry doesn't like the bloodshed and never moved to a kill unless he is forced to; if he is cornered, undergoing dangerous events, or ..." she folded her arms and a smile appeared on her face as she continued "If someone he cares for is in danger ..."

At that point, Hermione hope if the ground split apart and swallowed her. The knowing smile on Tonks face meant only one thing; her face betrayed her. Even Sofia, who kept silent during the whole conversation flashed the same smile.

"And What if he …" The bushy-haired woman retorted sharply with burning cheeks "I bet he did the same to you or anyone else he cared for …"

"Maybe once, but definitely not twice …" Tonks retorted herself "And he never had that angry look on his face when he fought for you"

'Fought for you' … That phrase was not used haphazardly by Tonks and Hermione knew that; Harry was not fighting for himself as far as she can tell … When Johnson ridiculed her, that night in her apartment, the first barfight, against that necromancer, the two fights in the devil's forest, in Brimstone alley, against the lethifold, the arm-wrestling match, and the ambush … All that was for her.

"So, now that we know that Harry cares for you …" Tonks said snapping Hermione out of her thoughts "What do you feel about him?"

The last word made her ponder … Now that she found out Harry's true feeling towards her, she never thought about her own true feelings. The only thing she was thinking about is …

"I don't know …" The answer was the last thing Tonks expected, even the look on her friend's face was uneven … hope and hesitation intermixed.

"This is the first time I see thing from this perspective. I always thought of Harry as the friend I never had; he was reliable, encouraging, and he was always there for me. But to think of him more than that … It is something I never thought of" she sighed loudly and muttered "Something that my heart always ached for …"

Neither of the two auror women uttered a word; it was something neither of them should comment on, so they left it for Hermione to release more of her suppressed feelings.

"I can't deny that I wanted me and Harry to be more than friends, but what if he never felt the way I do about him; then I would lose him as both friend and lover …" a single tear escaped her eye and she brushed it away quickly while smiling "What a bloody limbo I live in, eh?"

"And you shouldn't live in it forever, mon ami …" Sofia retorted softly and Tonks agreed with her "Right, you should make Harry conclude the true nature of your relationship. Just show him your true intentions and then let him decide"

"Audaces fortuna iuvat …" Hermione said with a sad smile "Fortune sides with him who dares; it has been my motto since college; however, I have not been true to it lately"

"Well, I have some words to you, too" Said Tonks turning Hermione's attention to herself "_Sed fugit interea, fugit irreparabile tempus_ …" she smiled deeply and translated "Time is flying, never to return …" the sentence made Hermione ponder once more but not for long, for Sofia clapped her hands to gain their attention.

"Okay mon chéri, our job now is to make Harry give her the kiss …" Sofia rubbed her hands eagerly as she said her suggestion and Tonks couldn't agree more. Hermione, however, rolled her eyes and muttered "Like he didn't try that already …"

"WHAAAT?!" A squeal from both women caused her to jump and stutter "W-What is it?"

"You just said that Harry … kissed you" The pink-haired auror said hoping that her ears were deceiving her. And Hermione retorted with correction "Tried to kiss me, but I … Cowered"

"WHAT?!" Now it was Sofia's time to shout in disapproval "Why on earth did you do that?!"

"I don't know …" Hermione was now on the defensive "Maybe at that moment I was thinking that I'm not ready for this …"

"Now you are being incongruous …" Tonks interjected firmly "Sweetheart, you don't think you are ready; you feel that you are ready. And you just said that your heart ached for it … Ugh, look that I am saying" She suddenly pulled Hermione on her feet "Up, up … Let me see"

"What?" The muggle girl inquired in apprehension that the other woman didn't give a damn about as she checked her out. She turned around her in circles looking at her up and down. Finally, she spoke to the other female auror.

"What do you think?" She said to Sofia who give Hermione one last pondering look before stating "Not bad, but not good either … Nothing wrong with her looks, but her clothes … Eew!"

"What's wrong with my clothes?" The accused woman said in irritated query and Tonks answered her "Nothing, they are just too … Casual"

"What you really need now is a complete makeover" The French auror stated while pushing her out of the room "Let's go already …"

"Stop pushing … Oof" Hermione tried to protest until she suddenly hit someone's body. The girls look up to see who was it, and it was no one but Harry.

"I see that you lot are all set …" The young man said in his usual cool manner "Going somewhere?"

"Yes, and it's nowhere near your business …" Tonks answered quickly then explained "Girl stuff, ye' know …"

"It's none of my business, indeed. However, it is my business to tell you that we are moving out to a new headquarters …" Harry stated coolly and pointed at Sofia "You know it Sofia; it's the village where you met the old man …"

"Oui, I know it. I'll take them there myself after we finish our 'Girl Stuff', bon?" The French auror said and Harry nodded "Just don't be late …" he then turned with a smile on his face to the woman who collided with him; Hermione herself. Luckily for her, the corridor was dim-lit so he couldn't see her blush due to their accidental body contact; being in the current distance didn't help lowering her heart rate either.

"Is your leg okay, Hermione?" He asked her softly and she tried to regain her composure for a minute before answering him "Y-Yes, Tonks and Sofia surely are good healers …"

"They are the best. Now if you excuse me …" He said his farewell and went on his way leaving the girls alone. The corridor was now in complete silence except for the stifled giggled of the two auror women.

"What?!" Hermione inquired with the blush still on her face and Tonks answered between giggles "Like you don't know …" she said teasingly "I'll tell you on the way, then … Now, let's be off" and they went to the front door.

--

"Please stop it; I can't take anymore …" Hermione said covering her red face with her hands "I got the point …"

"Oh really?! I won't believe you until I see the proof myself …" Tonks said then suddenly pulled the other girl's hands away revealing her flushed face "See, and you said you liked him as a friend"

"Please stop it!" Hermione released herself from Tonks' grip and covered her face once more earning her a long laugh from her auror friends as they walked around the shopping district.

"And we only spoke of simple contact …" Sofia retorted after she stopped laughing "What would happen to you if we talked about a deeper relation?"

"No, please!" Hermione waved at her in fright "You've won, I admit it; I fancy Harry Potter"

A cry of victory came from Tonks who slapped Hermione's shoulder causing the other girl to emit a sudden yelp of pain. The pinkhead then leaned on her tender shoulder and stated "Now, we have begin with our main task … A perfect makeover that will definitely make Harry notice your femininity"

"Precisely, and as a former rival I should say one thing …" Sofia remarked "LUCKY YOU!!"

The last exclamation caused Hermione to rub her ear in discomfort but that didn't avert her from noticing the first sentence.

"You liked Harry?!" The muggle woman asked in wonder and Sofia nodded "Yes, and I fancy him still, but now I'm in love with my fiancé; Dickie"

"No woman ever resisted the fancy feeling towards Harry …" Tonks stated casually then a smile played on her rosy lips "Even me …"

"You too?!" This day was definitely the day of surprises for Hermione. Then again, when did she have a normal day after she knew Harry?

"I did; it was during his training years …" Tonks answered then her reminiscing eyes passed through the show windows around them "Of course I knew him before that, but he was just an acquaintance. During that time I knew the real Harry, the brave, the comrade, the leader … The friend"

Hermione noticed the dreamy tone of Tonks and couldn't help but to feel a pang of jealousy within her. The auror woman then returned to reality and gave Hermione her usual cheery smile "If I wasn't in love already, Harry would be my choice for a boyfriend …"

Hermione returned the smile with a faint one and the rest of the walk was speechless. However, inside Hermione's mind there was a sea of raging emotions; those two walking beside her were only acquaintances but they were a sample of the dangerous competition for obtaining Harry's heart which she would definitely encounter when they return home. So the only way to smash this competition is to win Harry's heart right here, right now.

With her new objective set and her heart and mind in sync for this objective, she saw Tonks pointing at a certain shop.

"This might be a dandy shop …" The pink-haired woman said while pointing at the shop then the girl trio walked inside and were welcomed by a salesman as dandy as the shop itself.

"Welcome to our store …" The salesman greeted them in a way suited for his exterior "We have a wide variety of clothes and accessories that suit every moment of your day whether it was a normal day or a special one …"

"We are definitely having a special day …." Tonks retorted "What do you have for a girl's first date on the beach …"

"Follow me please …" The man said and walked toward a section of the store. The girls followed him and Hermione made sure to have a good distance between them and the salesman before she hissed in Tonks' ear.

"What do you have in mind?" Her hiss bore a scent of disapproval "I will _not_ walk around Harry in obscene clothes; I would die before I do such thing"

"Relax and leave it to me …" Tonks replied assuredly and they resumed their walked behind the salesman until they reached the section.

"Here you can find the clothes you want from summer dresses to swimsuits …" The man pointed at several clothes-filled racks then nodded his head politely "Call me if you needed anything"

"Thank you …" Tonks said in appreciation and waited for the man to go before she jumped to the first rack "Quick, we have to look for the best clothes for you before we go to the beauty salon …"

The girls couldn't agree more and each one of them went to a different rack, they looked here and there with Hermione rejecting every choice of clothes Sofia gave to her; French style wasn't her taste after all.

"How about this one …" the French girl said while holding up a rather skimpy bikini "This is a crazy one, you can dance with him and let his hands roam all over your-"

"ENOUGH!!" That was the last straw for Hermione whose cheeks was deeply flushed "If I wanted to go French, I would've walked around naked …"

The young medi-auror stood with her hands on her hips and cheeks as red as Hermione's; she clearly got infuriated by that direct insult to her home country's fashion.

"Fine, don't ask me for help if you got stuck with a hag's clothes …" She said before walking to a distant rack with Tonks giggles echoing behind her.

"You surely like to make a scene. Here try this" She handed Hermione a shockingly colorful shirt.

"No thank you, I think I'll resort to less radical means …" She said with apparent shock "With less free love ..." if there was anything worse that Sofia's French taste, it's Tonks' hippie trend.

"You are too picky for a lone child …" Tonks stated in annoyance but noticed that Hermione's eyes weren't on her; she was gazing at something behind her.

"Maybe, but I found my clothes …" The muggle girl said without moving her eyes from the rack. The thing she found reminded her of a sweet memory not so long before "I'll try them on …"

Tonks turned around so see what captivated her but the other girl snatched the clothes before she could take a good look at them. She waited for her to come out and when she did saw, she looked stunning.

"WOW!!" The two medi-aurors exclaimed in admiration causing the people around them to notice the walking beauty. A few 'Woo' calls and a long whistle accompanied with a strong smacking sound. Apparently, Hermione got a few new admirers and enemies from both the people around them.

"Somptueux … I don't believe that you look so stunning in something so simple; it never worked for me …" Sofia said in delight earning her a blush from her muggle friend. Hermione was only wearing a pink skirt and matching tank top that stopped right above her belly button. That outfit almost resembled the one she wore when she and Harry went for the dinner at the McLadens except that it missed the blouse and its color is different.

"I wore it once before and the look that Harry had was something you should all see …" The muggle woman said and undid her hair which added more beauty to her beauty "I think that skirts suit me because I rarely wear them …"

"What I see proves that …" Tonks stated with an amazed look on her face "Well, you have a style after all. Why didn't you use it then?"

"Because I don't want to gain his notice through pathetic means" The muggle girl said in a tone that reflected her worries and the older woman gave her a reassuring smile "My dear Hermione, he already has his eyes on you ... And we all noticed it"

Hermione looked up at her in a mix of hope and concern and her friend flashed her cheery smile "Now that you picked your outfit, we'll pick ours and go straight to the salon …" her smile widened as she added "And then … The party"

--

The moving out went swiftly and Harry stood in the hallway of the chalet that they recently rented cheaply thanks to Alejandro and his connections. Money was not a problem for Harry, but he never wanted anyone to swindle him just because he was rich. He walked inside a room where the humming of computers could be heard but no sign of Dick around and that what it must be; the task he gave him requires his presence with the local mechanic all the time or else those jet skis won't be fixed in time. He might be a computer specialist and did not have much knowledge about vehicle repairs, but four hands are better than one … And two tinkerers are definitely better than one.

He left the room with all its humming and went to his newly-claimed bedroom where he threw himself on the bed in spread-eagle and stared vacantly at the ceiling and when the face of Hermione flashed in his mind his heart gave a sounding throb. He couldn't fool himself anymore and should boldly admit it; he is head over heels for his muggle friend … And that feeling certainly gave him an odd sensation. All what he thought of at that moment was if she felt the same for him or not.

He never knew when he fell asleep and only woke up on the sound of door knocks. He sat on the edge of the bed and stretched his limbs lazily before he addressed the door knocker.

"Come in …" The person outside open the door slowly and Harry saw that it was no one other than his best mate; Ron.

"Already got your beauty sleep, I see" The redhead stated jokily earning him a chuckle from Harry "I surely needed that nap …"

"Maybe you would benefit from something else …" Ron said "Change your clothes and come to the beach; there is a tourist party that the girls insisted on joining in …"

The last bit of information cause Harry to get alert and a firm look appeared on his face "That is not good …" he said "We should not distract ourselves; death eaters might appear in any moment and we will be unprep-"

"Oh, come on Harry …" A long disappointed tone came out of Ron "We strip searched the island literally and there is not a single death eater around. Let them have some fun before we march to our doom tomorrow … Come on"

Ron left Harry alone who repeated his friend's words in his head before his expressions soften a bit … Ron was right; if there was a death eater around he would've showed his ugly face by now.

Harry made up his mind as he walked to the bathroom. After a quick shower he looked into his bag for something decent and comfy to wear and he settled for a pair of jeans and light blue baggy shirt. He left his room and the chalet only to notice the commotion not so far from his position.

It was more like a festival than an ordinary beach party; stands of food and souvenirs and people dancing around a DJ … A place he would rather escape from.

"HEY HARRY!!" Too late; Tonks noticed him and pulled him inside the noisy ring "Glad that you are here … What do you think of this party?"

"Loud …" His comment came as cool as usual but it didn't dampen Tonks spirit or groove; she was in party mode now "I gave them some ideas to up this party a bit.

"I should've known …" He said with the same tone and looked around him; everyone was dancing stupidly except him. Dick and Sofia were dancing near them; even the cold Vlad was dancing with a blonde woman bearing a stupid grin on his face.

"Hey …" He noticed the wrong thing around "I thought Dick would be in the scrape-yard with Alejandro …"

"Oh, let him be; he worked hard during the last few hours and he deserves a break …" She said without stopping her dance "Besides, he promised me that he will stay up late until he finishes his work" she then bumped against his hip with her own "Enough talk, let's dance already"

"Hey …" Another protest emitted from Harry as he looked at her angrily and she pouted like a child "Ooh, ickle Harrykins is unhappy. Or he forgot how to dance … You were the best dancer at the Auror Academy"

"I am not in the mood …" He retorted but she bumped against him once more "Come on … Just one dance and then you can do whatever you want …"

He sighed when he knew that there is no escape from her "Alright, just one dance for you Nymphie" he said it because he knew that it would annoy her and he was right, that frown on her face was not because she lost her favorite 'Weird Sisters' shirt

"You owe me a second dance for this, mister …" She stated with fake anger then they proceeded in dancing on the voice of Ricky Martin and his 'La Vida Loca'. Tonks was not bluffing when she said that he was the best dancer. His moves were matching hers to the utmost precise that made her enjoy the dance entirely. Harry, on the other hand, was looking forward to the end of the song and looked around in boredom until his eyes fell on the last thing he expected …

"Wha-" An exclamation almost escaped his lips but he managed to cut it; the sight of Ron and Hermione dancing was definitely not of his liking, yet the pang of jealousy he felt was stronger than he expected.

"Hermione sure look lovely in that dress, don't you think?" Tonks remarked casually and Harry's words came surprisingly aggressive "She's only a friend …"

"I didn't say a word …" She said with a vague smile on her face and the song finally came to an end. Tonks broke off with him and stated "Phew, that Ricky Martin bloke surely lives up to his words … Crazy" she then walked away from him toward a nearby drinks bench "I want to have something to drink, wait for me …"

Harry muttered gibberish and stood alone surrounded by the dancing couples. He then saw Ron leaving Hermione after he spoke with her and then it hit him; now or never … He might not have a chance as good as this one.

He summed up his courage and walked directly to Hermione who noticed him coming to her.

"H-Hey …" He greeted her with a stammer and she blushed a little when she returned his greeting "H-Hi …"

"That crazy Tonks pulled me here then let me all alone …" He tried to lighten the atmosphere with some jests but he only managed to deepen the blush on her face, and he can't say it was a bad thing.

"M-Me too; Ron and I had one dance then he claimed that he was tired …" she stated coyly in a way that caused Harry to feel his heart quicken; something is different about her tonight yet he can't pinpoint it.

At that moment another song was played, it was not crazy like the previous one but a suave and romantic song. He gripped his right hand tightly before he relaxed and extended it to his coy friend.

"Would you honor me with a dance?" He asked her and the blush appeared on her face once more "Y-Yes, I'd love to …" He took her hand into his and they danced.

_Over and over I look in your eyes_

_You are all I desire, you have captured me_

_I want to hold you, I want to be close to you_

_I never want to let go …_

Harry's heart quickened at the soft words of the song; he never thought of a song matching his feeling as perfect as this one, as if the singer took a pick at his heart and learned of his hidden feeling toward the dancing beauty in front of him.

_I wish that this night would never end_

_I need to know_

Hermione, too, was not as calm as her exterior; her heart would race the winds if it was allowed to glide in the air. Her friend … No … Her love was dancing with her the perfect dance on a perfect night.

_Could I hold you for a lifetime_

_Could I look into your eyes_

_Could I have this night to share this night together_

_Could I hold you close beside me_

_Could I hold you for all time_

_Could I could I have this kiss forever_

_Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever_

They were so into themselves that they didn't notice they were dancing alone; the people saw their perfect dance and hated to spoil it, so they left the dancing floor for the two love birds.

_Over and over I've dreamed of this night_

_Now you're here by my side_

_You are next to me_

_I want to hold you and touch you taste you_

_And make you want no one but me_

_I wish that this kiss could never end_

_Oh baby please_

Another twirl and she could see Ron and Tonks from over Harry's shoulder and they were giving her a thumb up. Another twirl and she was looking straight into Harry's emerald eyes ... And she again forgot her surroundings.

_Could I hold you for a lifetime_

_Could I look into your eyes_

_Could I have this night to share this night together_

_Could I hold you close beside me_

_Could I hold you for all time_

_Could I could I have this kiss forever_

_Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever_

Harry himself was in heaven; he finally felt relaxed for the first time in his life. It is as if this moment was the reward for all his suffering and all his patience; his reward was … Hermione.

_I don't want any night to go by_

_Without you by my side_

_I just want all my days_

_Spent being next to you_

_Lived for just loving you_

_And baby, oh by the way_

Both of them thought the same; their life, their fights, their meeting, their revelations, all things were just a prelude to this moment … The moment of love.

_Could I hold you for a lifetime_

_Could I look into your eyes_

_Could I have this night to share this night together_

_Could I hold you close beside me_

_Could I hold you for all time_

_Could I have this kiss forever_

_Could I could I have this kiss forever, forever_

No words were needed; their eyes said it, their hearts said it, and their lips did it … A kiss that convoyed all their love in it

It was their night … Forever.

_**A/N:**_ Sorryyyy I'm late but I hope this chapter worth it. Don't think it is the end; two more chapters and the part will finish for good … Cheerio and Bye-Bye.

Read & Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease


	9. Crimson Tides

_**Disclaimer:**_ I don't own the Golden Boy Harry Potter or any other characters except the ones introduced and the saucy thing we call the plot.

_**A/N:**_ Okay, now that our romantic readers' appetite was sated, time to move back to the insatiable thrill seekers. The main battle is about to begin, and it ain't a pretty sight to see.

**Crimson Tides**

Far in the dark horizon, the sun shyly began to rise slowly dispersing the heavy fog off the coast of Puerto Rico. However, it could not alleviate the already ruined mood of Flint who was on the small island just off the coast.

"Ah, bloody Hell!!" The young dark lord grumbled in a loud voice "This fog has no end …"

He couldn't be more right; even though the morning has come, the sun could only cast faint rays upon the island. And that was the clearest weather this tiny island can be on, but Flint could wait no longer.

"Swift!! Zabini!!" He called for his two trusted men who were actually few feet away from him.

"Yes, my lord?" Both death eaters responded at the same time then glared at each other intently and was about to start a quarrel. However, Flint was not in the mood for such things.

"Oh, stop this nonsense!" He bellowed at then and they both complied "Now I want you to rally whoever left of this mess of a journey. And make sure they check their boats before sailing; will ya'?"

Indeed, it was the right thing to do after the unfortunate 'accidents' near this island's shore; who would've thought that such a small island has pointy underwater rocks surrounding it.

"I'll rally them myself …" Swift suddenly announced and side-glanced at Zabini "I don't trust this _traitor_ to do this task properly"

"Like a mudblood like you can do it …" The assassin death eater sneered and another fight was about to ensue but Flint killed the whole thing in the womb.

"Enough!!" At the top of his voice, he bellowed once more "Schoolchildren behavior is not what I have on top of my favorite list right now; in addition, I must emphasize the fact that I don't trust both of you" He pointed a silvery finger at Zabini "Don't think that I completely overlooked what Swift has told me of you; you are indeed acting like a genuine turncoat …"

Zabini's scowl at the rebuke was only matched to the swordsman mocking smile until the latter was addressed by Flint "And you, Swift. I cannot completely trust you because you are simply … A mudblood"

The smile quickly faded into a frown similar to that of Zabini's. However, Flint ignored his unhappy lieutenants and continued "Now that we made everything clear, I want you to go and execute my command; and I _mean_ both of you …" he looked straight at them and said "Work together, or else …"

The two death eaters didn't add any word to this; instead, they walked away while their eyes met in a fierce contact and not forgetting to keep distance away from each other. Flint's reaction to what he saw was a low snort, and then he turned towards the sea as soon as they went out of sight.

"What a pair of ignorant ruffians …" A final comment came out of the young Dark Lord before he eyed the calm sea silently. Frankly, his inner self was not as calm as the scene before him for a huge concern was raging inside him; a feeling he did not have since the last time he encountered Harry. However, this feeling was completely justified; not a single report had reached him since he left the Bermuda islands, in addition, it was quite dumb to not leave a sentry or two on the main island of Puerto Rico.

"Let's hope these miscalculations don't ruin the day …" With a loud sigh he mumbled and went to the shelter …

-------------------------------------------

At the same time on the main island, Hermione shifted in her bed before sitting up as a lazy contented smile played on her face; she wasn't usually a morning person, but reminiscing on last night's events made her feel elated; the makeover, the dance and the kiss itself, all was verbally translated into a long scream she muffled in her pillow. After she released her all suppressed feelings, she went for a long soothing shower before she went out of her room and down the stairs skipping a step on each descent until she jumped the last stairs straight into Harry who chose this moment to appear at the end of the stairs.

"Oh, g-good morning Harry …" She greeted him with a surprised stutter that he returned warmly "Good morning to you, Hermione …"

She then, and without hesitation, planted a quick kiss on his cheek; although that no longer made her feel shy, it still caused her heart to beat faster. She then walked away quickly towards the living room, there she saw the girls engaged in a heated chatter before they noticed her arrival.

"There she is, the dancing queen …" Tonks greeted her with her usual jest "I have to say that I never saw anyone dance into such rhythm before"

"How does it feel to dance with Harry Potter?" Sofia asked her eagerly and she lounged on one of the sofas pretending to be in hard assessment.

"Mmm, it was okay …" She answered with a cool smile and the girls looked at her in disbelief before her French friend retorted.

"Okay?!!" She said in shock "It was fantastique, formidable, incroyable!!"

"A dream came true …" Hermione remarked in a dreamy voice that made Tonks smile.

"Now that's more like it …" The pink-haired auror said and nudged her companion in the ribs then leaned towards her and said in a meaningful tone "Enough about that, let's hear more of the main event …" a smile played on her face as she continued "How was the kiss?"

"Divine …" Bearing a smile as same as hers, Hermione answered her auror friend "No word could describe it except this one, and I should thank you for it …" she then held her hands and pressed them tightly "And thank you for saving me from myself …"

Tonks smiled warmly and pressed back "What are friends for?" Hermione looked at her in appreciation before they heard Sofia's objection.

"Hey, I think I helped too; and a lot …" She said with a pout and the girls laughed at her before Hermione retorted "I can't deny that, and I'm grateful to have such good friends" she then pondered with a sigh "And I hope Harry feels the same way …"

---------------------------------------

On the esplanade, Harry was walking slowly with his hand reaching for his cheek touching the very spot Hermione had kissed him on. It feels so good in an odd way; on minute they were there standing awkwardly in front of each other, and the next minute they were dancing and … Kissing.

"It must be Tonks' ploy, that minx would set the devil for a date …" He muttered to himself while smiling in a carefree way. Usually he would be angry at Tonks for doing such inappropriate things, but this time he is thankful; at least he was given the chance to reveal his feelings for Hermione, the rest is for her to decide.

"Oi Harry!!" The familiar call snapped him out of his thoughts and he turned around to see the expected; Ron running towards him waving and smiling at the same time.

"Ron … What are you doing here?!" He asked him out of habit and the red-haired auror answered with a frown "I've been chasing you and shouting for the past five minutes, mate …"

"Sorry, I was thinking deeply" The raven-haired man replied nonchalantly; apparently he was still thinking. Ron noticed that and retorted "Something on your mind …" then he smiled naughtily "Or someone … Mr. Lovey-Dovey"

Harry chuckled nervously as he heard his friend hitting the bull's-eye, luckily for him that awkward conversation was cut by a sudden sound of engine running and they noticed that they were standing in front of Alejandro's scrape-yard. Harry's heart skipped a beat when he heard the constant rattling of the reborn engine; could it that he repaired it in such a short time? The answer could only be given by Alejandro himself who was checking the engine in marvel as Harry and Ron entered the yard.

"You are here just in time to witness a miracle, listen …" The native mechanic said and gave the accelerator handle a twist and a long 'Vroom' sound filled the place "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"H-How did you do it? You said to me that it would take longer to patch up those old engines" Harry interjected in marvel and Alejandro smiled at him proudly "It seems I underestimated my own skills; I just needed a little confidence for my magic to kick in …"

"Oh, good for you …" Harry retorted with a wide fake smile that he kept on his face when he leaned to Dick and whisper through his teeth "Please tell me your father was a renowned mechanic …"

"Wrong answer …" Dick whispered back and they gave the proud mechanic the same fake smile before Harry asked him "So, now that all jets are repaired; when can we take them for the journey?"

"Oh, no, no, no … First thing you should do is to test 'em in shallow waters before the big trip …" Alejandro retorted seriously before adding with a smile "You gotta walk before you run …"

"But we don't have the time t- …" Harry said in disapproval before he turned to his comrades "Okay, this means we don't have time to lose. Alert the others that we will group test the skis; I will announce the groups by the shore …"

"On it …" Dick complied and went to the team's chalet. Harry then turned towards Alejandro "As for you …" He stated and threw a small brown package to him "You earned yourself a bonus …"

The young mechanic switched his marveled glances between the package at hand and Harry who was walking away before he spoke with Ron "Your friend is either brave or foolish to have this much of cash on him; isn't he afraid of getting mugged?"

"Actually, the ones I'm afraid for are those who will try to mug him" Ron retorted with a smile "His pocket is much safer than Fort Knox itself …"

Alejandro raised an amused eyebrow but didn't comment; instead, he waved the brown bundle and stated "Well, mine is not that safe. I should put these good ol' bucks in safe place"

"After we take those skis to the sea …" Ron interjected and patted him on the shoulder "Come, I'll help you …"

----------------------------------------

By the shore, Harry was walking absentmindedly kicking whatever his foot came in contact with; apparently, his mind was off the island and on the other side of that small island. He kept thinking of what they might encounter when they reach the death eaters, and that is _if_ they reached them in time.

"What are you planning, Flint?" He muttered to himself as he sat down on the edge of the waves "What will you benefit from such thing?" he was so deep in thought that he didn't feel Hermione sneaking.

"Boo!!" He almost jumped at the surprise if it wasn't for his mental discipline. He turned around wearing a smile that he tried to make sincere but failed miserably "Hello, Hermione …"

"Something on your mind?" She said with a smile unlike his when she noticed his troubled expressions and claimed her place beside him "Usually you don't let your guard down …"

"Nothing, just evaluating the possibilities of what we might see beyond the isle …" He said calmly "I'm just hoping we are not too late …"

"Harry, look …" She placed her hand on his forearm and looked at him straight in the eyes "Whatever is going to happen will happen will happen regardless of what you are thinking of it. So you better stop thinking and start doing …"

It was indeed an extraordinary situation; usually it is him who encourages the fear-struck Hermione but this time it was up-side-down. As a result, a smile crept up his face; and this time it was genuine.

"That's more like it …" Said Hermione when she saw the smile "I never thought you could get depressed in the first place …"

"I'm human, after all …" Harry retorted and got off the ground feeling an energy surge coursing through him "But as you have just said; enough thinking … Let's try out the skis"

"Skis!!" An exclamation came out of her as she heard him and then she saw Ron and Alejandro pulling a cart with the two skis on it "You never said anything about skis!!"

"Well, I did now …" He retorted coolly then went to the two men to help with the unloading. When they were done, he tapped both of them on the shoulder.

"Thanks a lot, chaps. I'll take it from here. Just bring the rest of them and you are free …" He said to them and before he rode one of the skis he heard Alejandro say under his breath _'So much for a bonus …'_

"You don't know how much I love skiing, every time my family and I go for a holiday in France I spend most of my time skiing …" Hermione said as she touched the polished surface of the jet ski with a mesmerized look on her face.

"Good, so you can teach me how to run this diabolical contraption efficiently; my skills in skiing are even worse than my knowledge of magical potions. The main thing is … Are you to the task"

The bushy-haired muggle scowled and held her hip before retorting "For your information, you are looking at the winner of Jet Ski Championship in France for three successive years … I think that makes me more than qualified"

"Splendid. Let's get it on, then …" He said with a cheerful clap and turned on the ski. Hermione was about to ride the other one but stopped by a sound of throat clearing.

"We will form the first group in this pursuit, so I think it is better for you to ride with me …" He said to her "Besides, it would do me great help if my instructor was with me all the time …"

"Why, of course …" She complied with his request and sat on the seat behind him "Okay, now start the engine with this switch and then give the handle a gentle twist …"

"Like this?" He said while doing as she told him and they suddenly changed from stop to speed.

"GENTLY, GENTLYYYY!!!" Hermione cried in panic as they went top speed and she encircled his waist with her arms. However, this didn't prevent them from getting toppled by the upcoming wave, and now they were in the water.

"Great, just great …" Hermione mouthed irritably as she tried to balance herself in the water "If I knew I would be in this situation I would've worn something suitable …"

"But don't deny that it was fun …" Harry remarked funnily only to gain a glare from his muggle friend.

"Alright, let's do it again, and this time _gently _…" She said sourly "And when I say gently I mean suave, gentil … This is not a broomstick, ya' know"

"Oh, okay …" He said as they rode the ski once more. However, before they can start Ron came running to the beach.

"Oi Harry, a surprise you might like…" He called in sheer excitement "Dick found the second beacon …"

Hermione could feel Harry's body tense at the sentence; he then turned to her and spoke in a serious tone unlike the one he was just doing "Hermione, I'm afraid the training session is postponed for now …"

"A-Alright …" She never knew why her voice came in a stutter, whether it was Harry's tone or the throbbing sensation she can feel coming from him caused her that; it was definitely not something good …

-------------------------------------

"So, here it is …" Ron pointed his Lumos-activated wand at the bloody wall revealing the beacon. Harry leaned down and picked the flashing device while muttering "Without doubt …"

They both stood there without a word uttered for a minute or so before Ron spoke up "So …" he said "What do you conclude from this eerie situation?"

Harry didn't answer immediately; he first swabbed the bloody wall using the tips of his fingers and took a long sniff of it before stating "This blood here is not new, yet at the same time is not too old"

"What do you mean by that?!" Ron inquired in confusion and the grand auror took another sniff before he answered "The blood is still in liquid state; even with humidity in consideration that means it was spilled recently" he pointed at the blood trail "And there was something heavy moved across it; my speculation is … A corpse"

Ron's body tensed and his hand tightened on his wand as Harry said the word. The raven-haired man himself pulled out his wand and pointed at the trail "It is going inside that room …"

"Wait!" Ron suddenly said and pulled out a mirror from his pocket "This a trick I saw on one of the muggle police films …" he suspended the mirror in mid-air and pushed the door open little by little until he could see the room reflected on the mirror.

"All clear so far …" He muttered in a low tone but then his body stiffened when the mirror showed a somewhat rotten body.

"This is our corpse …" Harry commented and walked into the room. As soon as he entered he was welcomed by the pungent smell of the decaying body.

"Phew! He certainly spent the night here …" Harry said while covering his nose and stepping out of the room, then he said to Ron "Please go and inform Tonks to come over here and examine the body. And don't forget to tell her to bring a mask …"

Ron complied with a nod and disapparated. A few minutes later, he returned with Tonks by his side and she was carrying a bag.

"Hello Harry, where is this poor fellow?!" She greeted him in her usual cheer and he pointed inside "Right here …"

She went inside after performing putting on a breathing charm and began checking the dead body. She only took a few minutes and left the room quickly.

"Eww, autopsy is definitely not my favorite part of the medi-auror training …" Sahe said while taking deep breaths of fresh air. After she felt satisfied with the smell she stated "Okay, I did a quick search on the body trying to figure out how and when he died; but I draw the line at gastric content … I don't have the stomach to check his stomach"

"It is not needed, anyway. However, I want to know the time of death" The raven-haired man commented and she pulled out a jar filled with larvae of different sizes.

"You see these larvae; the biggest on is barely the size of a pinky nail. Usually, the magivamp larva takes up to three days to suck out the magic off a corpse getting a size three times more that this one" she waved a serious finger and continued "However, this case applicable only if the number of the larvae is more than twenty … Here we have twenty one"

Harry gave a long look to the larva specimen and muttered "The is larva is only one third of its supposed size, which means that the bloke has been dead for-"

"A day, give or take …" the pink-haired medi-auror interjected "Which is for our luck. The killer, presumed death eater, must be one of the group we are chasing, so he must've gone with the herd; which in turn means-"

"That either he left after he killed the man, or later …" Harry continued her statement with a smile "Eventually, we didn't lose much time. I hate to say this but we benefited from this bloke's death …"

"Quite inconvenient; but in the end he's another death eater …" Ron retorted with a smile "Good riddance …"

The trio laughed half-heartedly before Tonks returned to ponder in the corpse. Finally she said "There is something bothering me …"

"What is it?" Harry asked in interest and she pointed at the hole at the corpse's chest "This hole is definitely the cause of death, but in my whole life I haven't seen such gruesome wound except in one situation …" she looked at Harry straight in the eyes and continued with a serious tone "Assassination curse …"

"Wait a bloody minute!!" Ron interjected "I have seen an assassination curse before and even though it draws a nasty wound, I have to say that this hole is not of its characteristics …"

"That is because you never saw it shot in an arm-length distance until this moment …" Tonks retorted with the same serious tone "I have done research on the major deadly curses with Malfoy and to say the truth I haven't thought about it until he suggested we do a gradual distance down …" she gave the redhead a meaningful glance "And I should tell you; this curse is even more horrible than the exploding curse …"

"Bloody Hell …" Ron remarked on her statement with his usual phrase. But Tonks has more in her pouch.

"That's not what bothers me, though …" She said with a sigh "The assassination curse is not from Flint's arsenal and the only one known who have mastered it is … Blaise Zabini"

A grim silence overcame the room when she said the last name; the whole situation was confusing for someone who knew that Zabini was in custody.

"Okay, enough of this entangling conversation; we will discuss it later …" Harry ended their banter with a serious tone "Now we have some felons to chase, let's make haste …"

-----------------------------------------

"Everyone, a final check …" Harry said to the group and they when through their equipment for the last time; they even checked their skis for any defects just in case.

After they finished ski training under Hermione's guidance. The muggle girl herself never experienced such headache like she did in this one hour training; everyone seemed to have trouble in controlling the skis except Ron and Dick, Ron's fascination with muggle artifact was the reason he learned quickly, while Dick is so adept due to the fact that he was half-muggle.

The formation Harry chose for them was the best possible due to the fact that they are seven and there are only four jet skis. He and Hermione on one ski as the vanguard, Ron and Tonks on the right wing, Dick and Sofia on another ski forming the left wing, and finally Vlad occupying the final ski as the rearguard.

"You are an army by yourself …" Harry said it for the Russian auror justifying his choice; in addition to that, he noticed that Vlad was the best amongst the amateurs during the training, he even best Harry in the aspects of control and balance with Hermione noticing that and complementing him. Nobody knew the reason for that even Vlad himself.

"Must be my large body …" Vlad joked about it in one of his few delighted moments. All in all, Harry couldn't make better judgment for the team even if he wanted to.

"Okay, let's move!!" Harry ordered and the four humming sound of the jet skis were heard on the beach. After a few minutes only, they reached their top speed which was unbelievable even for small vehicles like these skis.

"Dick!!" Harry cried high trying to top the clatter of the engines "good work on those bloody noisy things!!"

Dick answer to the complement was a modest smile and the rest of the journey passed in silence until noticed something on the right.

"Something afloat by the reef on the right!!" He said to Harry who waved his right arm and the small fleet turned as one. When they reached the reef, Harry jumped to check the floating object; it was the remains of a boat.

"This is definitely one of Flint's boats …" The emerald-eyed man said while flipping on f the pieces. He raised his eyes only to see a trail of wreckage leading towards …

"That island!!" he cried and jumped quickly in front of Hermione and the fleet continued the journey but now with a clear destination. They reached the small island in no time thanks to Dick's earlier tinkering, and jumped off the vehicles as soon as they neared the shore by the rocky beach. Calling it a beach, however, was too much for what it really was; a long patch of sand walled by a high mountain from every side except one, there were only three passes through the solid mountain, but Harry didn't want to take any chances.

"Defensive formation number three … Quick!!" as soon as they landed on the sand, Harry ordered the team and they complied in an instant. With wands in hand, Ron and Tonks covered the right pass while Dick and Sofia took the left pass; Harry rushed to the front pass that went all the way through the mountain with Vlad as his backup. Hermione, on the other hand, couldn't do anything but to look in wonder at the organized teamwork.

"All clear …" The teams shouted one after another. Harry returned to the skis and ordered them to gather around.

"Now that the beach is secured, I want four of us to take the jet skis around the island. Tonks and Hermione will come with me while the rest of you will take care of the vehicles … Ron is in charge" The Grand Auror ordered his subordinates around. With a team like that, the parties were re-organized in a few seconds; as the sea party turned on their engines on, the land party was going through the front pass.

"Are you sure it is safe to leave the other passes unguarded?" Hermione asked and the raven-haired man answered with his eyes on the path before him "If Flint is searching for the portal then I'm sure that it would be in an open area; and the other passes were narrow …"

Simple yet clever judgment; that what Hermione has thought. They walked on the path for fifteen quiet minutes before they reached the beach on the other side of the island, and it was pretty darn empty.

"Not a bloody thing …" Harry muttered in frustration "Let's return and check the other passes …"

The disappointed team turned around and started to walk back with Hermione lagging behind. She halfheartedly glanced at the distant horizon where the fog was still heavy before her eyes came across a patch of darkness; it was then when a strong pang overcame her and she dropped on her knees.

"Ugh!!"A whimper came out of her mouth that both aurors heard. When Harry noticed that she was on the ground he rushed to her quickly.

"Hermione!! Are you alright?!" He inquired in concern when he saw her pained expressions. She managed to speak only after she released another whimper.

"That .. Darkness …" She stuttered in pain "Too .. Painful …" Harry's expressions turned grim and he looked at Tonks.

"Tonks, quickly!! Relieving spell …" He ordered the medi-auror and she pulled out a tiny potion vial and ordered Hermione to gulp it down, then she pulled out her wand and muttered something before a lucid light came out of its tip and Hermione's face looked relieved.

"Feeling better?" The raven-haired auror asked her and she nodded "Good, Now show me the darkness you speak of …"

She slowly got up from the ground and pointed at the place she saw that darkness coming from "There …" she said "A patch of darkness unlike the white fog around it"

Harry could see the dark fog by now; it would've been easily missed if it wasn't for Hermione's unusual reaction. However, nothing was clear from their location so he pulled out his binoculars, pressed the magical magnification, and put them on. Still, the fog was too heavy to look through it so he pressed one more button called 'See through' on the side and the fog was cleared from his vision … And he saw something inexplicable.

A huge sphere of energy was floating several feet above sea level with a maelstrom of the same size under it. He saw that there were three rays of energy coming out of the sphere, but when he looked closely he saw that the rays were not coming out of the sphere, they were coming in. three boats were forming a triangle around the sphere and were shooting the rays of energy that were apparently controlling the movement of the sphere. He didn't need to ponder on the identity of the crew for one familiar face popped in front of his sight.

"Flint!!" He shouted suddenly and the two girls tensed at the hearing of the name. Lucky for them, Ron chose this moment to arrive at the beach.

"Sorry we are late, we had to avoid several reefs …" Ron apologized for the delay. However, Harry was too busy to argue.

"Let's move, Flint is near!!" The sea party tensed at the hearing of the name just like the other girls. The team then rolled back to the old formation and skied away from the island.

They sail through an unusually rough sea, much contributed to the strange sphere of energy .. No … To the Bermuda portal; he hated to admit it but it was true. Flint was about to gain control of the portal and God knows what he could do with it.

"Fawkes!" The raven-haired man called for his trusted friend and the regal bird descended from above the clouds. Hermione was both surprised and happy to see the regal bird above them.

"I asked it to keep and eye on us since the beginning of our journey, and I should say thank God I did it …"

"I'm happy to see Fawkes again, it has been a while …" Hermione said happily and he responded with a smile before shouting at his companions "Put a leg on it, boys!!" he tried to encourage them, but apparently they, too, were having trouble controlling their skis. Hermione noticed that too and was convinced that tere was only one way to do it.

"You have to do it, Harry …" She said to him "You have to go …"

He didn't need to read her mind to know what she was talking about; he had to go … He had to fly.

"Take control …" He ordered her and they quickly shifted position in front of the confused auror.

"Harry, what are you-?" Ron wanted to ask, but what he saw aused him an utter shock; as soon as he changed position, Harry jumped high in the air and transformed into a dark-feathered falcon. He swiftly flew beside Fawkes right above the speechless auror.

"Animagus …" Ron was the first to break the silence "He's an animagus …"

"Yes, he is …" Hermione retorted in confidence as she tried to steer her jet ski in the raging ocean while Harry was soaring up in the sky. They never told anyone before but she knew that Harry had trained with Fawkes during their stay in Matsurumi village on a few coordinated attacks, and she saw these attacks and knew how devastating they can get.

On the other side of the scene, Flint was supervising the containment of the portal with much frustration, not only they lost a number on that reef but they were delayed by the repelling tides which lost them precious time. And now that he witnessed the real energy of the portal he could say that they need at least a couple of hours to contain it.

A loud screech snapped him out of his thoughts and he saw two strange birds nearing one of his vessels. He couldn't believe what he saw next, but he could swear that he saw the darker bird carrying one of his men on board that boat and throwing him into the raging tides. It was dangerously unbelievable; unbelievable because that bird was too small to carry a full grown man, and dangerous because that move broke the magical contact from that boat and the sphere balance is undone … It was now moving towards the remaining two boats.

"Reverse the beam, quickly!!" He said in a quick judgment and aided the containment team in repelling the portal. They were in luck for the sphere was in a much safer distance that the other boat, which they saw the portal do its deed on it blowing it into smithereens. Flint was now infuriated at what happened, but this anger turned shock when he saw the falcon transforming back into its original shape as soon as it neared their boat.

"Potter!!" He exclaimed in shock when he saw the young grand auror landing his unsheathed sword on the death eater aiming the containment beam slicing him in two. He then took his usual stance with a sly smile on his face "Surprise, surprise …"

"Bloody Merlin …" said the young dark lord in a mix of shock and fury, they lost a whole day waiting for the fog to thing down, then they discovered that they were shorthanded when they reached the portal and now Harry and his aurors had caught up; no fury could explain what Flint had within him.

"I believe the words you were looking for are 'A twist of fate' …" He aimed his katana directly at Flint. His strike, however, has failed for another sword clashed with his … A thin rapier.

"Your fate will be decided by me …" Elias Swift, Flint's most trusted aide, barged into the conversation "I believe we have a duel unsettled …"

"Yes …" Harry replied and took his stance with his eyes on the young fencer. Flint chose this moment to retreat.

"Kill him, Swift, and earn your permanent place as my aide …" The young dark lord said before he disappeared in an instant. Zabini gritted his teeth at what he heard and didn't disapparate; instead he chose to stay and observe the fight which has already started with a hideous clash.

"I see that you have much progressed since our last duel, Potter …" The Irish death eater said as he dodged a horizontal slash.

"I could say the same about you …" Replied Harry while parrying from a low attack. He knew that any offensive spell would undo the boat's balance and the only way to fight is through melee weapons. In addition, he was not fighting a mere thug but a trained professional just like himself; a fight between genuine swordsmen that would be hard for them and entertaining for a spectator like Zabini.

The fight went on for a while with slashes, dodges, and parries from each fighter until they reached the other side of the boat. When Swift dodged the last attack, he bumped against the steel ledge and knew that he lost the luxury of retreat. Harry noticed that too and aimed to win the battle by a diving thrust.

Swift felt the danger of the attack and dived downwards in a speed worthy of his name, and now he was in the strongest position. All what he had to do now was to bury his sword into Harry's stomach, and he did it. The problem is that the target was not in front of him … He was right above him.

When swift dived, Harry sensed the drastic change of balance in the fight and did a miracle somersault right before the rapier reached him, he took that chance to slash Swift's back from up to down before he balanced himself on the boat ledge. And now the battle has ended …

"Damn …" Swift muttered in pain as he crawled toward Zabini "Zabini … Heal me!!" He cried in utter pain for his comrade and rival to help him "Heal me!! Please!!"

All what Zabini did was to stand there with a cold look on his face before he pulled the injured Swift on his feet and pushed him hard against the ledge. Swift groaned loudly when he hit the hard ledge and when he opened his eyes he saw a pair of clod malicious ones.

"Farewell, mudblood …" The words of hatred reached his ears before he felt a sharp pain coursing through his stomach; and in front of Harry's unbelieving eyes, he was pushed overboard by Zabini.

"What have you done?!!" The raven-haired man cried at the cold-blooded assassin in a mix of rage and disbelief. But all what he received in return was an evil smile before the death eater disappeared in a dark twirl. Harry gazed at the void for a minute before the callings of his friends brought him back to reality.

"What the bloody happened here, mate?" Ron was the first to ask. However, Harry was looking for an answer for that question.

"Zabini killed him in cold blood …" He muttered and Tonks corrected cautiously "You mean Ferguson …"

"No, his eyes were- … I am certain that he wasn't Ferguson; his eyes were pure evil … Just like Zabini's" He replied and Ron shrugged "I will add to the many mysteries we have t solve; including you being animagus … I am so angry at you, mate; how come you told Hermione and not us?"

The name reminded him of something "Say … Where is Hermione?" his heart fell when the answer came in the form of a long scream. He looked behind him and saw Hermione on her Jet Ski fighting against the strong current. Apparently, the tides had doubled when the portal sunk in the ocean after being unbalanced.

"You bloody dolts! You came aboard and haven't noticed her missing?!" He scolded his comrades while running to the distant ledge. Ron caught up with him before he did anything stupid.

"Don't, mate! The tides are too strong!" He tried to reason with his raging friend while holding him at the same time and he barely did it.

"Let go of me!!! Hermione!!!" Harry tried to release himself from Ron's grip, but the inevitable happened before he could do it; a high wave covered Hermione before they heard another long scream and the ski came out of the wave without its rider.

"NO!!! HERMIONE!!!" Harry screamed as his rage doubled and Ron tightened his grip "She's gone, mate!! Don't lose your life, too!!"

_Not her …_

"HERMIONE!!!" With that last cry he transfpromed into his animagus form and got loose from Ron's grip "Harry …" the redhead muttered as he eyed the falcon helplessly.

_Not now …_

He flapped his wings faster and reached the location where she drowned then transformed back into his human form and dived in an instant.

_Not when they- …_

Now that he was underwater, he could see her from his position; her motionless body was sinking slowly by every passing minute, so he increased his speed in swimming until her reached her. When he reached her he felt his chest tighten and cast a bubble charm that helped him breathe. He wished he could do the same for Hermione but he knew that no charm could help her breathe unless she was conscious.

_'Pure oxygen will hinder the breathing if there was no trace of carbon dioxide; it will be some time before he can invent such handy spell …'_ Draco Malfoy told him that once and at that moment he wished it was at this time such spell was available for him to use; he had no choice but to use that one.

"_Gasus Oxygus_" The large bubble formed around them and started to float upwards. He looked up and saw the boat right above them and looked back at the still Hermione before he pointed his wand downwards "_Impulso_" a sudden surge shot out of the wand and they sped upwards until they reached the surface.

"Harry!!" Ron saw them when they surfaced and threw a rope for them. A few moments later, they were on the deck and Harry was trying to resuscitate the motionless Hermione.

"Come on!! Come on!!" He cried madly with tears in his eyes as he pushed her chest hard feeling that he was reviving his own heart yet with no avail; her mouth remained open and her eyelids were down. But he didn't give up; even when Tonks and Sofia cried in hopelessness he still continued the resuscitation. In the end, he stopped the compressions but remained on his knees beside Hermione. In that painful scene, no sound was heard except the splashing waves and the sobbing of the girls.

"I can't believe she's gone …" Remarked Ron with a choked voice but no reply came from the kneeling Harry and he didn't wait for one, yet the silence he received from his friend was disturbing.

"She's not …" Harry spoke suddenly and placed his hands once more on her fallen friend's chest, and Ron's teary eyes widened when he knew what he meant.

"HARRY, NO!!!" He tried to stop him but an invisible field pushed him back, and when he got up it was too late to do anything … Harry released his magic.

The shocked aurors eyed the pure ray shooting from Harry's palms into Hermione's chest, and their hearts skipped a beat when they heard the sharp inhale form the unconscious woman and they waited for her to open her eyes but she didn't please them with that. When Harry was done with the magic transfer, he carried Hermione off the ground and called loudly.

"Fawkes!!" The regal bird landed on his shoulder and waited for his master's command "To the hospital …"

With a twirl of fire, the three of them vanished from the surface of the boat …

_**A.N.:**_ That was it for the ninth chapter, I hope you liked it. the next one is the epilogue and the final chapter of this part.

Read and Review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.


	10. Sanctions

_**Disclaimer:**_ For the umpteenth time, I do not own Harry Potter or any of his friends except a few characters here and there, and a little thing we call a plot.

_**A.N.:**_ Finally!! I never thought I would reach this point when I started to write this series, but now I have an announcement. We have reached a milestone … The very middle of the saga.

**Sanctions**

"This is an out rage!!" Rufus Scrimgeour voice echoed in the corners of Minister Malone's office "It is a clear violation of laws!! And by whom … A law enforcer no less!!"

"If you looked closely, you would see that there was no violation whatsoever …" Harry retorted in coolness that was on the contrary of the fit of rage his director was throwing.

"Oh, it was undoubtedly a clear violation. And if I looked any closer I would see other violations as well …" Scrimgeour threw a retort of his own "You across the country with your fellow violators and wrecked havoc on muggle grounds without permission, plus the fact that you traveled with a muggle whom you exposed to unparalleled danger …"

"Gentlemen … If we behaved in civil manner we-" Malone tried to cool the tension but it was far too aflame to be extinguished with mere words.

"If you have already forgotten, I was on holiday; and The Bermuda islands were my choice for quiet resort …" He leaned back on his chair and smiled "Of course, when I was asked by Auror Weasley for help I couldn't do but to accept … It is my duty, after all"

"Fine, then it is Auror Weasley who will take the blame …" The director looked at Harry with an evil smile on his face.

"They are not involved in this, Scrimgeour …" Harry said as his smile vanished "You wanted a scapegoat, then I'm your scapegoat"

"Fine, if you want me to overlook their transgression, then all of you must return to England at once …" The veteran auror said then waved a finger "And that's not all, You will be tried for misconduct and the use of the auror force for your personal gain; I will make sure that you will lose your badge, Potter"

"I can't wait to see you try …" Harry said with a low yet confident tone "Just inform me when the time for the trial is up …"

The angry wizard stormed out of the room leaving the Harry and the minister in deep silence. After a few minutes of that silence Malone gave a deep troubled sigh.

"You could've been milder, ya' know …" He said to Harry who answered him calmly "I do not want to be another dog in Scrimgeour's own pet house …" He then leaned back on his chair once more and his usual smile played on his face "Besides, I want him to know that he is not the only one with friends in high places …"

"Be careful with politics, Potter … It is a double-edged game" Malone warned him and Harry replied with a warm reassuring smile then got up and saluted him.

"I must beg my leave now, sir …" He said "This is the last of my duty as the high commander of the US 1st battalion …"

"We hate to lose you, Potter; but it was inevitable knowing your relations with the new director" He got up and shook hands with Harry "Farewell, Grand Auror …"

"I couldn't agree with you …" Harry said while shaking hands back "When a man is in a pinch, he could seek his friends for help …" he pulled his hand and said "Till we meet again …"

He then walked out of the room leaving Malone to read the small piece of parchment he left for him; he then threw it on the desk and gazed at it as it suddenly caught fire.

"Till we meet again … Friend"

-----------------------------------------------

Her eyes were sore, her throat was dry; yet she rallied all her strength to open one eye then another, and that's all before she let out a dry painful cough.

"Thank Merlin, you're awake …" She heard a feminine voice before she felt cool water touching her lips, and she drank from that water until she felt sated. Her eyes were still blurry, but she could recognize the pink clothes that woman was wearing.

"Don't try to move, you are still weak after all what happened …" The woman told her when she tried to set up. However, she ignored her and pushed herself up until she sat up on her bed.

"Such a stubborn patient … Oh well, let me at least fluff your pillow …" Now her eyes were back to normal and she could see the face of the blonde witch-nurse with her pink robes. Seconds later, a person came into the room and it was the very one she wanted to see …"

"Hello, Harry …" She said with the weak albeit a happy voice and he replied with a similar one "Hello yourself … You gave us quiet a scare this time …"

"I think it was my turn to be on the white bed, eh?" Her tone as still cheerful despite what happened to her. Harry pulled a chair and sat in front of her and they remained in silence until the nurse felt that they needed privacy, so she excused herself and walked out of the room. The awkward silence persisted for a whole minute before Harry got off his seat and tried to cover up his nervousness by stretching his arms.

"You know, if that accident had anything of benefit it would've been the fact that it saved you from flying back home …" He stated out of the blue in a tone that didn't convince Hermione "Don't beat around the bush, Harry …"

"Sorry?" He turned around only to see Hermione's annoyed looks "I want to know, right here, right now … What are we? Partners? Friends? More than friends?" the last part of her statement was accompanied with looks of hope that Harry didn't miss. He sighed deeply before he gave any reply.

"I honestly don't know …" He said "At first, I was full with hope that we might be something; but after what happened today, my heart filled with fear …" he dallied with some roses in a vase before he continued "I definitely can't stand losing you one day …"

"And do you think I don't feel the same?" She blurted out of the sudden "What do you think happened to me when I saw you swallowed by that giant snake? What do you think was the reason I was thrown off the Jet Ski? I was always full of concern for you and feared I might not see you once again due to your adventurous life …" her fists tightened around the sheets and her tears were set free "I-I don't think I can handle such pressure ever again …"

He saw her falling tears and couldn't handle it and placed a comforting hand on her should. However, as he leaned towards her he was taken aback when her lips caught his. He could taste her frightened tears in the kiss, and when they broke up those tears flowed again.

"I-I care for you Harry; I'm just afraid that you don't feel the same" She said with a heartbreaking tone that actually broke Harry's heart; he rarely in such vulnerable state and when he did … She was so fragile.

"I do, my dear Hermione, I do …" He said while his hand caressing her wet cheek and a warm smile appeared on his face "And funnily enough, I thought the same of you too …"

"Seems that have the same mind …" She retorted with a chuckle between her sobs "I hope we have the same heart …" he held her by her chin and looked deeply into her eyes; many times he fell for those darks eyes, he felt like he was drowning into them. No magic did to him what those two innocent eyes did … Those lovely eyes.

"I hope that, too …" He said claiming her lips once more in a kiss that hoped for more …

_**A.N.:**_ That's it for this part. See you later on Part four, with more love … And new darkness.

Read & review Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease


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